Neighborhood

My world, in some ways, has gotten a lot smaller in the last several weeks. In the last several days - I have only left the neighborhood once. I go to work, the coffeeshop, my new pool, and go home all within minutes of each other. I love it....

Today, I need to venture out so I can get my meds, get Jim a new CTA pass, but am going to the local library branch to return some books.

Back to my new pool - it is way cool, and people are so friendly. Unlike most other pools that I have worked into my schedule, this pool is social and friendly - the swimmers not just the guards. I was really impressed by this attitude - and feeling like I would enjoy this. I like talking, to no surprise to most that read this blog - so sure new friends - that would be great!

Well, after my hard weekend, Monday I wanted to swim and be in my head. The woman in the next lane was wanting to socialize and I tried to ignore her at first - I came to swim and be with me. In the next laps, I was thinking that I have been trying to foster community with my students in the last two months. I have been trying to show that community living isn't aways fun or in the time that you want it to be. I have been touting relationships as huge and important.

Then I started to think about the importance of me time. Yes, I need to make sure I give myself care - one of the reasons I swim. I need alone time and I need to care for me so I can give to others.

In the end, I stopped swimming long enough to talk and swap stories and then we were back to our swimming. I think relationships are important enough to stop...but I need to remind myself about that.