Gratitude for connecting with new people

I hit a low point last weekend. I caught myself thinking thisis never going to work. I’m not going to be able to connect with this place and these people. I just do not belong here. Who am I kidding?

Maybe I was feeling some emotional spill-over from another longer essay I’ve been working on. Maybe it was the fact that my husband was away… again and I felt the absence of family more. Or maybe I was just feeling sorry for myself.

Whatever it was it didn’t feel good.

Then I read a comment about my last piece from Francesca in England, who said that she could relate to the things I was saying about meaning and belonging. That she experiences it everyday.And that’s what this is all about: meaning. Finding meaning in my daily life by connecting, or trying to connect and sharing my thoughts and experiences. Maybe then I’ll find a sense of belonging. Maybe my belonging won’t be in Australia? Maybe my belonging will be larger than the confines of a national border.

So I’ll keep trying, because I’ve connected with Francesca and others like her and because the downs are just as much a part of the adventure as the ups.

There is so much I have to learn from an 11-year old.

PS. Taxi’s waiting… I’m off to the Sydney Writers’ Festival — no computer, no iPad and will be back next week with lots of inspiration, I’m sure!