There was no school the last two days, which allowed for checking many things off the to-do list, working my way through a head-cold in peace (and two boxes of tissues), and some solid quiet hours of stitching.
Thinking about how alone can be wonderfully enough.
And then sometimes it absolutely isn't ok at all...
The other day in the hall at school, I saw one of the students I often sit with, when he's together enough to come to art (the one I drew trees with last month). The last time we sat together he had shared about a wonderful vacation he went on during winter break. I later learned that the vacation probably never existed and that his life has been scattered to the wind and into uncertainty, without anyone to count on.
We greeted each other with "Hi" and I asked him how things were going? He gave a so-so sign and an "Eh."
"Me, too," I said, squeezing his hand, "Hope I'll see you in art today."
He didn't make it to art that day. I'll hope for next week.