In the grace of my whirlwind of a life, I have been taking a couple of days to ponder the "hermits" of my life. Funnily enough, my gregarious self loves a variety of company from the effervescent bubbliest of personalities to those that have quiter, calmer souls.
Thursday was my day of socializing over coffee, and no for the record...there was an equal amount of Starbucks mixed in with Tim Horton's. I am still chuckling over how many coffees and milk drinks I had that day. The best part was that was not my original plan for the day. I had friends show up unexpectedly. Impulse struck and I randomly dropped in on people. Impulse struck others who spoiled me with coffee delivery...to the dance studio no less.
I adore the people that are in my life. Most of the time, I am out and about, and busy. Need I mention the busy? So, I thought I would reflect on the "hermits" that I treasure. Some are home bodies due to necessity. Others are home bodies out of choice. These are the people that I can chat with over facebook, call on the phone and sometimes coax out of their shell to enjoy some outside the home stuff. I don't ignore their personal needs or space, I just choose to meet them where they are at.
The quiet conversations that I have with these folk are incredibly valuable. Due to the nature of these lovely gems of people, I have the pleasure of spending quality one on one with them, usually with coffee, tea or steamer in hand. I can visit their homes and be welcomed. These are the ones that thrive in small groups scrapbooking and where three people sometimes is a crowd.
There are a couple of my "hermits" that have illnesses of either physical, mental or both. For these ladies, I try to help with adding some normal into their days. Because of the joy that they give me, I don't mind long periods of silences. They know that I love them and will do what it takes to build them up. I know that a good day one day, doesn't translate into a good one the next. Appreciating their inner strengths and learning to celebrate their accomplishments is part of what I believe makes me a better person and friend. I have recieved so much from you, it would take a lifetime more than I have to show you that.
I have some "hermits" that just prefer the confines of their own space. Some folk just like their stuff and that gives me the opportunity to travel around the neighbourhoods dropping in on folk for fun. I like that a quick cuppa and conversation can jazz me up and leave me feeling refreshed. I hope that they feel the same. The threads of people that run through my world are fascinating.
However, I seem to be pondering hermiting myself. Sometimes, I like to be at home too. Sometimes I wonder why folks seem to expect me to call, drop in, and be out. I know that is what I do, and of course it make sense that people think that I will do what I do. I am being ridiculous. Through watching the peaceful nature of those that do settle into their environment, I wonder if I can manage that? I have never been one to stay home or spend long periods of time at home alone. Really, I can't stand it for more than an hour....tops. I enjoy the chaos of my world. But I wonder...sometimes I think I would benefit from taking the time to listen to the still small voice. I have had some reminders over the past few days as to how precious it is to take that individual time, to slow down and appreciate the home, and to love those "hermits" that came out of their shells for me this week. I have a fair few of you...more than I thought when I first started writing this...and each one of you has blessed my life richly. Thank you!
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