Growing up an only child for most of my life, I learned at a young age to learn to entertain myself when other's couldn't. I have never really been at a lose to keeping busy. I have many projects I have wanted to put my time into over the years.
At a young age, I always read books (and still do), colored (I recently got back into that after the growing number of adult coloring books), I played with my toys (much more of that happens with four young grandchildren under the age of six), as long as the imaginary friends I had when real friends were not around (really hope that doesn't reappear in the near future). I will always have something to keep my life interesting and busy.
Recently, a school friend who has a daughter that skates, posted a video of her skating on an empty rink. I have watched it over and over enjoying the memories of when at any rare, and given time when I skated I would walk into the rink and find not a skater on the ice. The quickness of lacing on the boots and stepping foot onto the ice was a time when the creative juices would kick into gear for me. Racing around as quick as I could without bumping or avoiding a skater was always a happy time. A great time to be alone. This was usually the time my interpretive ideas really flowed.
First ice of the season in Sedalia, 2015
About six months ago (gee has it been that long already) I started taking Yoga classes. I had read and heard much about the practices and thought I would give it a try. As our lives become so busy and sometimes for me not getting enough of the appropriate and needed "alone" time, you would be surprised how that one hour twice a week with appropriate music, quiet and getting one with your thoughts (sometimes it can be difficult) can be more helpful. I admit sometimes as the encouraging and lovely instructor sometimes says "push thoughts of your everyday life out of your mind". "Your mind will wonder and it will (and it does)". Boy is that not the truth. Last night with her busy schedule as a teacher, she left her tablet at home so we had to play slightly different music for class. It was great music but the alone time with myself caught me listening to the music and thinking how wonderful it was and that I am sure I had heard it before in a skating routine. I actually had to catch myself not waving my arms in the air like a skater. Not appropriate in a quiet, yoga setting. See my life will somehow always revolve back to skating.
Another unfortunate part of being alone is as we age. For some it becomes increasingly more and more difficult to spend time alone. Whether it is due to lifestyle changes, choices, family etc. As we grow older sometimes we may spend more times alone. I spoke recently with someone who has lived pretty much a whole lifetime of always having people either living, or visiting them in a long lifetime marriage. They never knew who would be knocking at the door to stay and pretty much almost never spent time alone. Now life is different and really they are in a quandary on how to cope. Coming from large families they never learned to adapt themselves to life in smaller numbers. I came across a recent quote on social media: "It is important to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person".
As I write this today it is the first day I have had some alone time at home after the holidays. I am embracing it and hope that I can forever enjoy my time alone. I have had the tools all my life, I may just have to use them differently.
1 comment:
I've always enjoyed my alone time. It is hard though when you're used to people being around--and then they aren't. Sometimes I'd look out into the yard toward my mother-in-laws place and think about how the yard was often crowded with family. Many impromptu jam sessions happened on the patio under the oak tree. Very thoughtful post, my friend.
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