Five months on from our separation and not only am I at peace, but I am also thoroughly enjoying life. Sure, I continue to travel along a roller coaster ride with constant twists and turns, but it is a journey of mostly highs and considerably fewer lows than previously.
The greatest lesson for me this past month has been one of friendship. There is a wonderful quote about friendships existing either for a Season, a Reason, or a Lifetime. Without a doubt, becoming single catapulted me into a new Season and unsurprisingly, my landscape of friendships has also shifted.
My 'Lifetime' friends have remained - some lingering in the background whilst others continue to regularly make an appearance - nothing has changed. These are the friends that have known me forever - having shared life's tribulations yet continue to love me warts and all.
However, the new Season's supporting cast brings with it a change in characters. The retirees having fulfilled their roles are now enjoying their peace whilst the new talent are establishing themselves as the next storyline unfolds. Like their predecessors, some will be here for a mere Season or perhaps a Reason, but hopefully some will remain for a Lifetime.
Not sure if all that babble makes sense, but here's what I've learned thus far:
One Month On:
Living without a partner is less lonely than living with an absent partner
No matter how much of a drag dishes are, I still prefer to do them myself
I can kill cockroaches with nothing more than a tissue separating my hand from the pest
Ditto to daddy-long-legs (I am yet to encounter any REALLY scary spiders)
Picking up takeaways is less convenient than cooking
In the absence of grocery supplies, picking up takeaways is STILL less convenient than a trip to the supermarket
I am quite capable of putting petrol in my car
Things that go bump in the night are highly unlikely to be sinister
There are just two things I miss about living with a partner - the first is having someone to take out the rubbish
The second is intimacy.
Two Months On:
Living without a partner is less lonely than living with an absent partner
Once in a while it would be nice to have someone else do the dishes
Birds are paralysed by fear and are very easy to pick up and carry outside
Rosie isn't the smartest of cats
You can find the most purest of friends in the least likeliest of people
Open and honest communication at all times is a must
Petrol is expensive
Separation can be good for your health - I have suffered noticeably fewer migraines and have lost 5kg
Taking out the rubbish isn't that much of a chore - even in the rain
Sincere, powerful, all-engulfing, nourishing, and caring hugs are delicious.
Three Months On:
Living without a partner is less lonely than living with an absent partner
It takes less energy to just do the dishes than it takes to complain about them as you still end up having to do the mundane job
Preying Mantis spend considerably less time praying then they do tormenting pets and children
Cat fur does not camouflage well on polished wooden floors
You never stop learning from the people around you
Open and honest communication at all times makes for the most interesting conversations
Stepping outside of your comfort zones is incredibly exciting and satisfying
Separation IS good for your health: fewer migraines, blood pressure and cholesterol both back to normal, and I have now lost 8kg and counting
You can never have too much of a good thing
Once you find peace with the present, you no longer feel concern for the future.
Four Months On:
Your partner (or absence there of) does not define you
Maintaining a clean and tidy kitchen all on your own is immensely satisfying
Spiders should be admired for their perseverance in spinning webs
Houses with polished wooden floors and no carpet are cold
You never stop learning from the people around you
Specialists are human - just like the rest of us - and not to be feared
I am stronger than I have ever imagined myself to be
Walking in the rain is soul refreshing
Never settle for less than what you deserve
Smiles - like happiness - are infectious.
Five Months On:
Your partner (or absence there of) does not define you
Washing dishes is absolutely divine on a bitterly cold wintry night
Rain-drop encrusted cobwebs are exquisitely beautiful
The silver box underneath the TV is in fact a heated bed for cats (and you thought it was a decoder - ha!)
You never stop learning from the people around you
Regular exercise - of any form - is vital to maintaining both physical and emotional health
I am stronger than I have ever imagined myself to be
Walking in a heavy down pour is soul destroying
Never settle for less than what you deserve
Smiles - like happiness - are infectious.
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