During this time of the year, I like to go barbecuing by myself. There is something deeply primal and connecting in cooking over an open fire and then sharing stories, hopes, and dreams – seeing the entire universe in the dancing flames. The same as opening your heart to the waves crashing on the shore. Both are much better with that special someone, yet perfectly fine by myself as the dancing flames and the crashing waves talk back to you and share your dreams.
One thing about me is that I am full of contradictions. I am the kind of person who likes to plan things meticulously, thinking things through from multiple angles, having several contingency plans, etc. But when it comes time to actually do it, I like to wing it and not be constrained by any plans. Seems irreconcilable, but they reconciled in me somehow. I made peace with my contradictions, and I grew to love them, as they are what makes me, me. I came to terms with the fact that to be human is to be contradictory.
I also found that minimizing options reduces anxiety immensely. I do not stress over what to eat, as I prepare my weekly meals. I even sold my car and started taking the bus. You see a lot more, and the city looks prettier, when you see it pass you by, rather than focusing on catching the light, speed cameras, and that jerk who is clearly trying to cut ahead of you, lol.
There is this alluring myth of the lone wolf that entices people who got burned by others before. Only someone who has been repeatedly and badly burned would romanticize being a lone wolf. The thing is, there is no such thing as a lone wolf, as wolves are pack animals that are deeply communal, and a lone wolf would simply die. A lot of people, myself included, prefer solitude, as it is simply enjoying your own company.
I have unlimited interests and curiosity. Among my interests is listening and learning new things, which feels like a cheat code, because we’ll always have something to talk about. Also, philosophy, literature, history, music, and anime, to name a few. I will be happy to hear about your interests, even if for nothing but listening, as I genuinely enjoy meeting new people and hearing about what they are all about.
I took salsa classes in another city once, which was my personal hell. You know the expression for someone who dances poorly, having two left feet? Well, I consider myself to have two left arms for feet. There is no happy ending here where I magically turned out to be a prodigy; I sucked. But I had fun and challenged myself.
We mistake “I got through the day” for “I’m okay,” and confusing the two is how people stay stuck for years while looking completely fine. I am trying to thrive rather than just survive.