I love getting together with family and friends. Here’s my grandmother’s family from about 1929 or 1930 maybe. Anyone who knows my hair, guess which one is my grandmother?

In the last couple of weeks, I have spent a fair amount of time with other people. Considerably more than my usual, even compared to when we have a bunch of local events. But we spent time with a large group of folks at a gathering, then went to a talk, then spent the day with a Letterpress friend, then hung out with some friends, and we even have more social engagements in the next few days.

Though it is exhausting to be away from home so often, and missing our usual routines, and having to be “on” in conversation, it’s also energizing and buoying to be around people I like spending time with. And, at the gathering, I made new friends and strengthened older connections. Meeting new people that I think are great is such a rewarding experience for me.

Now we’re pretty socially exhausted, but it was great to get more practice being social, since we’ve been so out of practice since COVID. I’m slowly remembering who I am around others. I like it. It reminds me that we’re part of a larger world, and I get to revisit parts of myself that I like, that come out when I’m with interesting people.

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