When asked what young people should do with their lives, Kurt Vonnegut responded, “the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” I am on a quest to make new friends and deepen my existing friendships in order to combat this terrible disease. My game plan? Stick close to my rituals and do weird things. And ask, ask, ask. 

Three of my rituals include: church, my church group, and run club. I’ve been attending these as much as possible and have enjoyed several meals and nights out with these friends. I had a lovely Galentine’s evening with three of my friends from church—Catherine, Elisha, and Erica—and I’ve been organizing more group socials with the volunteers from The Story Works. Last week I attended an art gallery community night that I found on Instagram, and next week I’m going to a barn dance and trying out a new writer’s group; it feels like my first month here—saying yes to every social opportunity and seeing what sticks.

My boss, Dee, and his wife Mel have done an excellent job at making me feel valued and surrounded when I feel the loneliness creep in. The past two Saturday’s they’ve invited me over to their house after Parkrun (I’m on my 19th now) for lunch and fellowship. They are two gems of human beings, and I feel very grateful that they’re in my circle. 

Some church friends at a birthday dinner

Work has felt busy and fulfilling, and I’m increasingly proud of the work I’ve done and of the work our charity is doing in general. The second songwriting workshop I led felt much more relaxed and engaging than the last—the kids were participating and seemed excited to start writing their songs, which is all I can hope for. We discussed metaphors, rhyme patterns, chord progressions, and even analyzed the structure of “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Songwriting is what led me to Belmont and ultimately to England, so it’s very rewarding to share that with the next generation of creative minds.

Last week we led our first ever comic workshop, and I was in charge of making sure it wasn’t a flop. I know nothing about comics, so thankfully two of our student illustrators designed a loose plan and some activity sheets. I fleshed out the plan and researched a starter activity to use, and Dee contributed his charisma and years of teaching experience. With the four of us combining our skills and personalities, the workshop was a huge success! The students, who were already artistically gifted, were superstars and designed some truly breathtaking comics. Afterwards I sighed a huge breath of relief. 

Comic workshop!

Beyond all that, I’ve been working on lots of new music and started training for a marathon! I signed up for the Shakespeare Marathon in Stratford-upon-Avon after several months of hesitation, and it feels great to be back in training mode. Few things make me feel quite as alive as running 16 miles on a cold and windy day on the English coast. 

The heavens opening on my run

Until next time, 

Elisabeth x