Looking at the last half of 2020, one of the thoughts that consistently crosses my mind is how unbelievably lonely I was. Deciding to leave my marriage – and my best friend – and coupled with a political season that led to a loss of friendships, I spent the majority of the pandemic alone.
And I get that being alone doesn’t necessarily mean that one is lonely, but it was sure the case for me. I discovered that I had never really gotten to know myself, much less learned how to enjoy my time with me. If you’ve been following along on my journey, this is how my Memory List got started. Taking my sabbatical in the midst of a pandemic put the get-to-know-Mindy mission into a pressure cooker. And it worked. Or, as a friend rightly pointed out, I put in a lot of effort and trudged through some really challenging times, and found myself.
Months ago, when I started this new chapter of my life, my therapist promised that once I uncovered me, my true energy would shine into the world and act as a beacon to new friends. These would be people drawn to me, because they liked the vibe I was giving off. This message seemed so far from reality when I first heard it. I was unbelievably sad at the time, and I distinctly remember thinking, “Who the heck is going to want to be friends with such a wet blanket?”
I suppose, my tear-soaked blanket has eventually dried in the warm, Florida sunshine. The energy I’m putting out into the world is indeed positive. And lo and behold! New people have come into my orbit, and I’m grateful every day to call them my friends.
And I’m very much looking forward to making many new memories with them!
My Memory List 