135JournalsBlog: The Salvation of the Tiny Hello

Lately I’ve been in an anti-social frame of mind. It has been difficult for me to organize my mind around making social plans, even though I long to see people. It’s been difficult for me to find my words. I can’t seem to figure out what I want to do next in some big picture way. When I am like this, I get withdrawn. I haven’t posted on my blog, either, much.

When I haven’t written to people I love for a while, I use a technique to re-engage I call the five-minute or the Tiny Hello. I just decide that my friends are lovely people who would rather hear something well meant and stupid than nothing at all. So I sit myself down and devote the next five minutes to writing ANYTHING I can to them, and I sternly make myself write, “LOVE,” from me, and I send that sucker off. No bullshit.

The thing is, once you write five minutes worth of anything that includes the idea “I’ve been thinking of you,” it’s all good. You can write a letter in 20 parts. The postage is all free. Take your time. You don’t need to overthink it. The words needn’t be so terribly precious.

I will try not to hold back now on my blog, either. I have so many things I think about and want to share. And I wanted to say I was thinking of you. And five minutes are up I’ll write again soon.

Love, me.