Life has a way of taking unexpected twists and turns. I find myself, for the first time in 32 years, as a single man. This certainly wasn’t my plan, but it is the hand I’ve been dealt, so I’ll play it.
I’ve been throwing myself into teaching, a profession that seems to change by the hour. Fully remote learning isn’t really what I signed up for, but, the pandemic has turned everything upside down.
I’ve found a peace and stability on my bicycles. I’ve rediscovered a love for single track mountain biking and have enjoyed the meditative nature of long rides on my road bike.
It’s not always easy, in fact, many times it’s really hard to have the ambition to do anything, but new friends help me get outside of myself and push myself in ways I never thought were possible for this old dog.
A good friend told me that being “solo” can be wonderful. She’s right! But doing things with others is nice as well.
Planner-wise, my bullet journal still helps me keep track of things, but I’m finding that sometimes unplanned and impromptu adventures are just what I need.
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Cycling is great for the mental and physical health. I’ve both voluntarily and involuntarily stepped back from the cycling the past couple of years and that doesn’t look set to change, but there’s definitely days when I miss it. I console myself by thinking that one day I’ll be back on a bike and in the meantime I distract myself with other toys – fountain pens, for example. I admire anyone who has the dedication to teach at any time, now more than ever. Enjoy your new single status as much as you can, and the attitude of “playing the hand I’ve been dealt” is definitely advantageous. Life has built-in gimbals – it frequently veers off-course but manages to balance itself in the end.
Thank you Pamela. Almost all of my pens are languishing in a drawer, but I will get them out again. I have ink in a Lamy 2000 and write daily with it.