Gratitude for Blipfoto friends

Yesterday (I’m writing this on the 31st) the heat let up and I took what was for me a long walk (twelve concrete city blocks and about 100 concrete stairs) up to a viewpoint from which I could see the city as it is at high summer. The trees, the distant hills, the sky, the glass and concrete, the cars and rooftops. 

I was thinking about my gratitude for all the sympathy, birthday greetings, encouragement, generosity, and kindness that this community has expressed to me over the last two weeks: for Palesa and Libuseng, for the loss of Palesa, for my birthday, for Covid threats, for Kamohelo’s birthday the day after mine, for people with disabilities, and for all who are suffering in Palestine. There is an infinity of beings to love and care for, and we are all connected.

I see that July has become emotionally exhausting for me. I find myself speechless, silent, withdrawn, unable to respond or comment, unable to switch comments back on. At other times it is not unusual for me to spend as much as four hours responding to comments, commenting, being in Blip community. But four hours of screen-time is not healthy for me, even if it isn’t four consecutive hours, especially when it is added to the time I spend on The Guardian, Democracy Now, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. I think I will leave comments off for a little longer. I don’t know what the solution is, but I know I need to cut down on screen-time. Right now I need to be quiet. Thank you. Thank you. I bow and remain in relative silence.