Free Entertainment

A few families in the church have taken me under their wings. This has been hugely appreciated and beneficial to my ability to enjoy my stay here. I am a social being and enjoy being near people I like. 

Today, one of these families, who I really do like and feel like I belong with, took me with them on their family outing to see if we could see whales. We went to a lookout in thee bay where whales hang out and took turns among the seven of us looking through the binoculars at the whales playing and blowing around. To see whales from a boat is $50 or more and it is chancy about whether you will see anything interesting. Then we went to look at the light house at the bit where the Indian Ocean joins the Southern Ocean. To go to the light house or even to the lookout costed money so we opted for free entertainment and looked from a distance. Then we went to a beautiful forest of tall, straight trees and had an argument about what kind of tree this particular one was. We sang songs from memory and also from ipods and tapes, we talked and we played in rock pools.

What makes these outings memorable and fun for me is the company and the laughter of the people I am with. I get the same enjoyment out of going to tourist attractions with people I like as I do washing up with people I like. Walking with people I like, driving with people I like, eating with people I like, washing up with people I like, cleaning with people I like, mucking out stables with people I like. All of these activities are preferable to me to, for example, having a meal alone, walking alone, driving long distances alone. Very occasionally, when on a car ride with people I like to be around, I wish it didn't need to end. 

Free Entertainment like going for a walk with friends or playing a game with friends is far preferable to me then a guided tour without friends.

  

Company

I love company. Even when I want alone time I usually want company while I am doing it. This seems weird except that what I seek from alone time is actually time to be Grown Up. Time to not have children squawking at me or each other. Time to sit quietly and do nothing, or go for a walk and say nothing, or go for a walk and talk (either to myself, God or an unlucky friend/stranger nearby). When I have Alone Time, I sing, I walk, I look at things, I read, I swim. All of these things are really good to do alone and I usually feel better. HOWEVER, all of these things I seem to enjoy more near/with people. I prefer reading in a room where my sisters, parents or brother is also reading. I would rather walk or swim with a friend or sister. I would DEFINITELY rather sing with somebody who enjoys the same music as me, plays the piano and can harmonize.

One reason why I wash up after church morning tea, or meals on camps and missions is because it is NEVER done alone, good conversations happen or fun singing of children's songs entertain us while we work.

I prefer company to alone time, and even when having alone time, I like to do it with company. It is only on very rare occasions, like when I am hurt/upset, or when I need to seriously consider and work through something that I really need time with just me and God.

Being Alone

There are a few different kinds of being alone, some good and some not good.

The first one is the "I have nobody to spend time with at the moment" This is a kind of forced alone-ness and can have different effect on people

The second kind is the "I need a bit of alone time from being friendly and social" This is voluntary and usually pleasant.

Both of these alone times can be cheerful or depressing, and the depressing kind can be cleansing or blaming of others.

Being alone and going for a walk and singing sad lonely songs, like On My Own from Les Mis if one of my favourite passtimes. This is one of the cleansing depressing times alone and I usually come back feeling better. Being alone and pleasantly taking the time to look at things and enjoy things while singing cheerful Disney songs or talking to myself or God is another really good alone time. Both of these require rhythmic movement like walking, swimming or digging.

Sometimes though the alone time is spent with me venting to myself about how frustrating everyone else is and how none of this is my fault. After a little while, I start feeling silly as God reminds me to be less self absorbed then I get happy.

Talking on the phone is not really alone time, sometimes in the first kind of loneliness, when there is just nobody else, I ring someone for company and usually vent or talk mindlessly to them.