Simplicity

The past couple of months have been intense. The work has been been challenging. Funny that I call it “work” at this point. They say when you do what you love, it doesn’t feel like work. or something like that, anyway. But hey, this is Facebook.

Lately, though, I’ve felt like I’ve lost some footing. When the work you love turns into managing egos 80% of the time, it can really shift your perspective. I needed some grounding.

This evening, I walked past my first cousin’s flat. It struck me how odd it was that we’ve lived in the same block ever since our parents were alive. It was the first time in ages that I actually glanced up at his unit to see if his lights were on.

Growing up, our families were constantly in and out of each other’s homes. We’d knock on each other’s doors without hesitation - no advance texts or calls asking, “Are you home? Is it okay if I stop by?” There was an effortless simplicity to it.

It being rather late so I just texted him - I wasn’t even sure if the number was current. 

(Back then, none of us would have cared about the hour - it was a Saturday night, after all.) It had been two years since we last spoke. No, none of those family drama - life just took over. When he replied, cautiously asking who I was, it hit me how much had changed. We chatted briefly.

The strain of my professional life has me longing for something real - connections that don’t require small talk or reintroductions. I miss the comfort of the people who’ve known me since before all the facades, before the curated social media versions of myself.

There’s something grounding about reconnecting with the people who know you by your childhood nickname, the ones who remind you who you really are. These are the connections that whisper it’s ok to lose a step sometimes because that’s what life is all about.