Walking Alone?

This morning, during my walk, I caught myself drifting deep into thought. When I finally snapped out of it, I noticed something: everyone else around me was walking with someone, and I was walking alone. A few months ago, that realization would’ve felt heavy. I would’ve taken it as a negative sign and let my thoughts spiral until they ruined my whole day. But now, it makes sense. Where I am in life, I’m learning to see things differently. I’m the type of person who can strike up a conversation with a stranger sometimes, and other times, I just want to stay quiet and let people enjoy their own rhythm. By the time I hit mile two, I noticed a woman walking alone, wearing a weighted vest. I decided to ask her where she got it from, and that small question opened the door to a full conversation. She shared her life with me like we had been friends forever. I didn’t mind—I’ve been a listening ear for a lot of people in my life. I got a few words in here and there, but mostly, I just let her ...