I put Kat on a bus headed for Olympia at 7:00 a.m. I was a little sad to see her go but also excited to get back home and reclaim my space. I am fortunate to have a room of my own, that I occasionally forfeit for guests.
Virginia Woolf counted a room of one's own as an essential component of the creative life. I'm not sure that I agree about the room. But I do know that I need time to be alone with my thoughts. It is wonderful to be able to close the door and shut out the rest of the world. Being alone, without distractions or obligations, allows me to hear my own thoughts and begin to understand my own mind. This is the essence of awareness.
When I was younger I never wanted to be alone. I would talk on the phone with friends for hours to avoid the silence. I would busy myself with endless projects to elude the stillness. I was afraid of the quiet because I was afraid of my own mind. I stopped running only when I was too exhausted to go on. What a gift that was.
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