Alone but not Lonely by Calvin Wu
Happy Monday morning! I always love it when I wake up in the morning, open my blinds, and find out that it’s gonna be a brisk but sunny day. I work 3 times a week, but I always do before my classes so I start my day out early, around 7:30am. And I love to walk to work/school on slightly chilly but clear days.
I run into a lot of others starting their day: med school students (very blatantly, with their gowns on already) sipping on their coffees while waiting for the bus, young kids hanging around on their front doorsteps to wait for school buses, the usual joggers, dog walkers, and all those cars stuck in traffic. The interesting observation about mornings is that everyone is on their own. A lot of people I pass by during the day are in 2+ groups, but mornings are usually 1-person activities. I believe that it’s the one time of the entire day where people prefer to be alone yet not feel lonely. At the same time, you’re also allowed to be social in the bus—as long as you keep your voice down.
That’s what I love most about mornings; there’s more emotional space to be comfortable with one’s solo activities without being less conscious about it. There’s simply no need to explain that “I’m alone, but not lonely.”
