Me Time

Zac was gone for the last week on a business trip and I was all alone. One empty house, and one lonely girl...or so I thought that's how it would be.

While I did miss him, I did not pine for him each day and stare forlornly out the window awaiting his return. I had 7 action-packed days where I [re]learned a lot about myself.

Lesson 1 - Girlfriends are Important
I don't know how it worked out this way, but of the 14 lunches and suppers I ate while he was gone, only 3 of them were eaten in solitude. The rest were shared with friends, either eating one-on-one, in a small group of girls, or at parties. My calendar was flooded with activities, and I was able to see many dear friends, some of whom I hadn't seen in years.

Lesson 2 - Guitar is Fun
And, it turns out, I can still play it. I get kinda shy playing music in front of others, especially those who are better than me (read: the rest of the world). However, in the solitude and safety of my home, I kept the guitar out and my music book open. I played a little most days, and I especially enjoyed playing some of the Spanish songs I sang when I was on the Kindred ministry team "back in the day."

Lesson 3 - I Can Be Social
I ended up going to a surprise party where I only knew two people - the girl who was going to be surprised and the girl putting it on. When I went to the location of the party, I was greeted by a nice guy at the door and told that the host (the only girl I knew who would be there before the big reveal) was out running an errand. I spent the next 4 hours talking with people whom I never met before, and I was proud to say that I can still do it. Years of leaning on Zac's great conversational skills had me insecure about my own, but I made about 15 new friends that night. What a blessing!

Lesson 4 - I Can't Do Everything By Myself
Often when Zac is gone I have these lofty goals for myself. I wouldn't be surprised if I saw on one of my task lists that I had written "Solve World Hunger." I gotta tell you, taking care of a house by yourself is a big job, and I could not do it all on my own. I did stay on top of dishes and laundry, but cleaning the house didn't happen, nor did raking the leaves. As I looked around at all there was to do and the little time I had, I realized how deeply I needed Zac. Not only do I enjoy having him around for who he is and the relationship we have, but I need him around for the practical things...like living. I'm so glad he's home so we can help each other do life.

Lesson 5 - Cooking For One Takes Time
A lot of time. See Lesson 4.

Lesson 6 - I Need Time Alone
Spending so much time by myself helped me remember who I am. In the noise of day-to-day life it's hard to make time to reflect, think, and enjoy what's going on around me. I feel like I had some great times to just be me. As an introvert, this is particularly beneficial. I loved the time away, but am also glad to have my best friend back.