Monday 5th June 2023
Today was one of those solid days. I only stepped outside to hang up my laundry. I was going to do admin but ended up helping a friend who was going through a particularly hard time. From 6000km away I was able to talk her through her lumpy bits, help her with her tears and give her insight as to what was going on. I absolutely love the internet.
As much as I love real paper letters both receiving and writing them, those days have shifted. My first British gap year had me crying tears over a letter from my mum, the ache inside to hear the family's voice, so much so that I boldly made a reverse charges call to say a quick hello. I was surprised when mum accepted the charges. I cried walking back from the now extinct phone box to my sister's flat, wishing so much to be standing on African soil. Life would have been so different for me if we'd had the internet then. I might not have returned for the 34 years of sunshine extension but put my roots down here in my birth country.
The internet has enabled me to keep deep friendships going, watch other's lives from afar and hear any type of podcast I want. I get emails about jobs instead of staring in the window of the Job center and scanning the newspaper classifieds. I click away my CV and customer complaints without standing in a queue nor paying for stamps. I read about current affairs of any country I want instead of only football scores on the Evening Express. I Google song lyrics of The Julian Laxton Band that had songs out when I was 10. Plus I read about the life of Miriam Stockley singing Adiemus after she left South Africa and get filled with awe at it all.
Then I settle down to write this life review every night and a handful of people take time out to read it and it fills me with gratitude to know that I am only one click away from so much.
What a wonderful time to be alive.
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