This past week I have been working on writing a research paper. Rather, I have been doing research in preparation of writing a paper. It is an important project, thus it has been rather time-consuming. In fact, I have had time for little else, save work and rehearsals (which are non-negotiable). Needless to say, I haven’t been spending a lot of time in the company of other people.

I am no stranger to alone time. However, coming off a term in which I was spending almost every day in the company of friends, it is lonelier than I remember.

Thankfully, I spent almost the whole day today with my mother and my best friend and a new friend. I feel better.

I’ve always wondered why many writers choose to write in coffee houses. I imagined that it was because you can watch people and draw inspiration from them, and maybe that’s the case, but I lately I’ve come to realize that it is probably because they want to be around people, even if they don’t interact with them. Writing is solitary, self-motivated sort of work and it can isolate you from the rest of the world if you let it.

I think that the option of interacting and connecting with people is an important thing to have, even if you rarely use it. It is crucial to know that if you want someone to talk to or to spend time around, you can have someone. Humans are naturally social creatures, even if certain individuals are more reserved. It is likely that at some point, even the most solitary of humans will want contact.

Even if you don’t, it can be comforting to know that it is an option. That you can talk to someone or to sit back and watch life happening around you. I grant you that much is made of the people actively living life, but there is something to be said for the people who watch. There is something to be said for the act of watching.

As for me, I like to do both. I love to participate in life, have adventures, meet new people, and have friends. At the same time, I love to listen and to watch. Sometimes I sit and just pay attention to the people around me. It’s interesting also to note how many people notice me. One of the ironic bits of life is that if you’re quiet enough, still enough, and you don’t get in their way, most people will ignore you. It is fascinating.

People are important things to have. They can connect you to the world, inspire you, provide entertainment, and keep you company when you need a friend. It does not necessarily matter if you ever talk to them, as long as you have the option to be among them if the mood strikes you.

Connection and relationship to people are also important, of course, but it is crucial to leave yourself the option to be around people if you cannot achieve those things easily. Perhaps, in that case, strangers can provide you with practice.