Friday Musings—25/07/25

What's new with me

The last couple of weeks have been a bit chaotic and I took a break, as you may have noticed. More generally, these musings will probably be a bit more sparse until the end of the summer. Between the heat and most people being away on holiday, my brain is taking it slow too!

On connection, gnocchi and trains

I spent last weekend with an old friend. We were close for a few years in high school and early uni, then life happened and we drifted apart. She had reached out a few times after I moved back from Ireland, but between the pandemic and my many health issues, I just wasn’t ready.

But after she contacted me again recently, I invited her to spend a couple of days with me in the mountains. I was slightly uneasy at first because my ulcerative colitis still isn’t fully under control, and I didn’t feel entirely comfortable. But it turns out I had nothing to worry about. It was lovely. We caught up on years of gossip, made gnocchi (she’s a much better cook than me), went for a walk, and met a couple of her friends. In a way, it was like no time had passed at all.

All this reminded me that when in doubt, it’s better to connect. When you're feeling low or overwhelmed, solitude can seem like the safest option. Especially with all the digital distractions we have at our fingertips. But nothing beats real, human connection.

I was reminded of this again during a chat with a student last night. He mentioned going to a new physiotherapist and that, halfway through the session, she started sharing her marital problems. I laughed because my physio did the same thing on our first appointment. I commented that it's sometimes easier to unload with a perfect stranger.

It brought to mind a train ride to Paris I took many moons ago. I spent six hours pouring my heart out to a guy I’d just met and never saw again. He listened the whole way, even bought me coffee. This was just before the first iPhone came out, when talking to strangers on trains was still a thing.

I have other train stories too. I once met a lovely guy on the way to Venice and ended up dating him for a while. My student had stories like that as well, and ruefully observed that these connections seem harder now, in a world where everyone is lost in their own tech-powered bubble. He also mentioned a study he’d read that said people still want to connect. We’re social animals at our core, as Aristotle said. It’s just that we’ve gotten out of the habit, at least in the “real world”.

The instinct to connect is still there, even if it doesn’t always find a way through the noise. Maybe sometimes all it takes is one small push. A message. A train conversation. A shared meal of homemade gnocchi.

Quote of the week ✍️ 

"Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives".  (Brené Brown)

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you have any suggestions or insights, feel free to share them in the comments. And if you know someone who might enjoy my musings, please pass this along—I’d love to grow this community.

Until next time,

ML