Lessons in Solitude
My husband Matt was out of the country for the last three weeks and was mostly out of communication. Add to that. I don’t have a job that I go to every day or regular co-workers that I stay in touch with daily. I have friends, but alas, they all have their own lives.
So there we were, Roxy and I, on our own for three solid weeks. I can’t recall a time that I’ve had more than a few days to myself in a long time, so three weeks felt substantial. And I was ready to steep in some alone time like a gas station tea bag stays in the bottom of a 20oz paper cut for the entire day.
The following is what I learned during this time.
#1 Thankfully and gratefully, I very much enjoy my own company. However, if I didn’t have Roxy to discuss the finer points of life with, I think I would not be as happy to spend time alone.
#2 Like an iguana in an aquarium, I will take up the space if it’s available with art projects. As in, I will start new projects to take up space with.
No, we don’t need a kitchen table, why do you ask?
#3 I like silence—a lot.
#4 Without anyone to talk to, I will watch a lot of lessons on Skilshare (please see the above-mentioned new art projects).
#5 My creative pursuits do not stay in their lane. I thought I would paint for hours on end, but instead -
I knit.
I spun wool on my spinning wheel.
Winter hat is already done!
I dabbled in making my own sourdough bread (an experiment still in progress; I’ll report later on how it went).
The starter smells right.
The above was lovely, but the most exciting thing I did (and let’s be clear, we are using the term exciting as in what a snail would find exciting.)
For many years, I have wanted to be the kind of person who illustrated their journal, someone who lingered over the lettering and the sketches. Someone who sketched in their journal -at all.
And now I am!!
Since I took over the dinner table with my markets and paints, I just left my sketchbook turned journal laying out, and when I’d walk by, I’d doodle or write something about the day.
It’s not a masterpiece by any stretch, but I’ve enjoyed capturing the memories of my days in this way.
I don’t know if I can maintain this extra low and slow practice in real-time, but for now, I’m very much enjoying being the kind of person who lingers in the morning over their sketchbook.
What about you?
What is your go-to for unplanned alone time or large swaths of time to yourself?