On Recharging

I had a spectacular weekend with an old friend. I met new people, saw a lot of sights, and even made a few photographs. The entire thing was a meaningful experience from start to finish, but by the time I got home, I was feeling thoroughly exhausted.

I tried having a quiet day at home to rebuild my energy, starting by just doing some housework and tidying with headphones listening to music, but I kept getting interrupted and had to break my rhythm every time I removed an earbud to respond to something else. Shortly after this, I tried closing myself off in a room, but I ran into distractions there too, and it really started taking a toll on my mood.

Finally, I put a book and a notebook in my bag, grabbed my jacket, and went for an evening walk in the park. I moved from bench to bench and ultimately sat beneath one of the lights on the pedestrian bridge, skipping between Death Cab For Cutie tracks and taking some time to listen through Chris Walla’s Tape Loops. About an hour and a half (and a few scribbles in my notebook) later, I was feeling good and fully appreciating the serenity of the park at night.

I had to be a little more assertive about putting myself first tonight, and I had to put in a little extra work to place myself in an environment where I could get lost in the ambiance and relax for a while.

It was precisely what I needed.