Alone Not Lonely

Alone, Not Lonely

Subitha Baghirathan – Community Access Support Service, Inner & East Bristol Networker

We’re all hearing a lot about loneliness these days. With the winter celebrations now over, and the long stretch of short days and dark nights ahead of us until spring, some of us may be feeling more affected by the reduced social contact that Covid-19 restrictions have resulted in more than ever. It’s important to acknowledge that this is a very difficult time and look after our mental health. Perhaps a changein our perspective on being alone can help. Being alone though does not need to equal loneliness. Author Natasha Pulley commented: “Being solitary isn’t a disease that needs a cure.” One of the 5 Ways to Wellbeing encourages Connection. Regular telephone calls can help us both connect and give to others. We can also feel connected by paying attention to the sights and sounds around us. The Buddhist monk, Sheng-yen, wrote about his time on a solitary retreat: “Even though I seemed to be alone, there were many insects around the hut who created all kinds of sounds in the evening.” Food writer, Nigella Lawson, has talked about cooking for one, after her husband’s death: “It’s a pity when people say they don’t cook ‘because it’s just me’. I thoroughly believe it’s important to cook for yourself because symbolically, it’s important to say you’ll take care of yourself.” Giving attention to cooking or laying simple food out on a colourful plate can bring mindfulness and noticing into our day. Time alone can give us a chance to be being silly or creative. Another Way to Wellbeing is Learning, or trying something different. You could try a new radio station that plays music you’re unfamiliar with, and perhaps dance to Stay Active! Many religions encourage solitude to get to know yourself and your faith. If you don’t follow a religion, solitude could help you become surer about yourself, your aspirations and relationships. Some strong, compassionate characters spent time alone under prison restrictions: Nelson Mandela and suffragette, Alice Paul. These periods seemed to increase their determination to improve society for the benefit of all. These are merely some suggestions to try to think a little differently about being alone.

Friends of St Paul’s Library Activity Update

We have had an incredibly busy year. The crisis affected us but we tried to keep up our momentum. So we switched our online creative writing, arts and crafts and storytelling in schools to an online format. This worked really well. In fact, much to our surprise, our Open Mic Night became an international event, with poets from India staying up until 4am to join us, and guests from North America, Botswana, Uganda, Malaysia being regular attendees. We were surprised but delighted to acquire some funding from Arts Council England. This has resulted in considerable work taking place in local schools involving dance, theatre, creative writing. We have been able to extend our weekly programme to incorporate dance, a knit and natter session, drawing. Most recently, we have been funded to create more beauty in St Pauls via our Gardening Club Flourishing in St Pauls.

So this is our weekly programme :

Dance moves Dance classes for the over 50s Monday morning Cleo Lake Arts and Crafts 2 sessions Tuesday evening Carol Sherman – spaces available Afrika Homecoming creative writing course Tuesday evening Akulah Agbami - currently full. New course to commence in Spring. Drawing with Serah Chibombwe Wednesdays 11am Youth Writes Rites – Wednesday - Writing classes for young people start date to be confirmed Akulah Agbami Spaces available Knit and Natter Helen Thomas Friday 3pm from January Gardening Club various days Judith Davis. Volunteers most welcome. Storytelling in schools Amantha Edmead ongoing Open Mic Night last Thursday in every month 7-9pm. Please get in touch via our email address if you require any further information on our programme. ALL SESSIONS EXCEPT GARDENING ARE ONLINE. We would like to extend our special congratulations to Malachi Gibbs, a young man attending Youth Writes Rites. He used his time extremely productively and succeeded in producing his own anthology of poetry entitled Game. Here is a flavour :

the old game

pretty ancient people carved in rocks as memory ancestors and maybe just maybe their old way of life sacrifices to god drawing animals on the rocks yaks cows horses people carved in rocks elephants two giraffes scraping engraving cultures leaving a message on the mountainside in the case to tell us don’t forget