Hopeful

 

In Hebrew there's a saying: there's comfort in the fact that everyone's suffering along with you. I always thought that wasn't true, but after this year I think I understand it better. It's not that another's pain brings joy or comfort, it's that it gives a different perspective. My year was what it was; but a friend had seven surgeries and nearly died, others are undergoing divorces or the scariest thing of all, an ill child. And, of course, the war with all its horrors. 

And that changed the way I felt about my year. Not about the past two months, but all the other dramatic events my life underwent suddenly feel - and this sounds absurd - lucky. I'm so lucky. And I cherish it, and I'm grateful for it, and I wish I could pass it on, especially to the people who gave me that new perspective.

There's a small apartment, my own little tent in the proverbial desert. There's a chair probably designed by Torquemada, a white IKEA desk and a very soft bed. There's also my home, aka my desktop computer, and I'd be nose-deep in Blender tutorials were it not for this chair; truly, it's a work of anatomical-discomfort art.

It's the nesting stage, which I always like. The apartment is so empty, which makes my mentality feel clean and unburdened. I'll have to add a new chair, and a bookshelf, but hopefully nothing more.

The 'hopefully' is the overall sentiment I'm trying to convey, I think, or, rather, 'hopeful'. I never thought that leaving my Thailand dream and being forced by circumstances to come back here would have that aspect to it, but there it is. I think that's something to be grateful for.

--

The AI generator made this version as well, and it's too nice to forget forever, so there: