It’s Friday night and I have no plans. For the first night
in over a week, I don’t have a thing to do.
I’m sure I could have made plans, but I have a busy weekend
and thought it might be nice to have a night to myself. Even so, I was doubting
my decision, earlier today. In my mind’s eye, I saw myself sitting sad and
lonely on my couch. Sometimes, in my imagination I was rocking back and forth,
sometimes I was staring blankly ahead at the wall. In all circumstances, my
brow was furrowed, my shoulders slumped, mouth downturned and the word “pathetic”
practically tattooed on my forehead.
I should say here that this is absolutely NOT what I think
of anyone who stays home on a Friday night (I actually think it’s a completely
normal and comfortable thing to do). It IS what I thought I’d feel like. And
while I’ve never spent a Friday night staring at the wall, I have spent many
feeling rather lonely and small. And I assumed that I’d spend this Friday
kicking myself for not making plans even though I was as tired as I am.
Only, this evening I decided upon a different track. Instead
of accepting the mental scenario I had set out for myself, I questioned my
feeling self -- rather than my thinking self -- to see what came up. It went
something like this:
Did you really feel lonely?
Yes, I felt a little lonely.
What’s the lonely feeling about?
Well, I felt like others are having fun without me. They are out there having fun and I’m home
alone
Ok, maybe they are. Can you accept the feeling of being a little
lonely, missing your friends and also knowing that it wasn’t the end of the
world?
Yeah, I guess it isn’t the end of the world. I think I
can accept a bit of loneliness.
So what is left now that you’ve
accepted the loneliness?
Hm…I guess I feel a sort of sleepy and tired.
Well, it’s a good thing you
stayed in tonight, huh? Sounds like you could use the rest.
Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.
So what else is there aside from
that?
Huh. I feel a bit…I don’t know…liberated. Like I’m
free to do anything or nothing at all.
What’s that like?
Pretty good,
actually!
There you go. *smug smile*
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