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50 Things to do in your 50s's avatar

Thank you, Ryan, for writing this.

I moved house recently to a bigger place with a high wall in front on my house. I thought, great, privacy, I can do yoga out the front and sit in my Pj's drinking coffee. Then I started to miss the comings and goings of living on a terraced street. I soon began to feel the aches, and esp being home recovering from surgery and not being able to drive for weeks. I asked my doc for antidepressants, she said to treat the isolation first. I've let out two rooms to students now and have been sleeping better just knowing there's people in the house and the chats about their days. I bought a season ticket to my nearby cinema and have adopted going for a walk every evening after dinner. Meeting people I didn't even know were my neighbours. I also joined a choir, singing with 130 people really lifts your spirits. At this moment, I'm happy sitting looking out the window, but will soon leave the house to go be in the world. We can make small changes, like you say, smile and say hello. 👋

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Paul Dalton's avatar

A deeply resonant and poignant essay. Thank you, Ryan. We really can’t find digital solace in a void of human connection. Over that past few years the jewel of sangha has become extremely important me. Spiritual friends have given me something I had never realised I was missing. This has certainly spilled over into the way I try to ‘be with’ others more generally in life.

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