Insights

A conversation with an intriguing new friend got me to thinking again about me and where I live and how I live. The basis was that Sydney can be unfriendly and fast and ugly, but you can find your little niche and live happily in it. I really have found that and I totally get what he meant.

I have realised recently that I need few friends. I need plenty of acquaintances but very few close friends. I am so used to not seeing friends often that I feel smothered quickly if I do. So I like it here. There are many familiar faces, but none on my doorstep unless I want them to be.

I also realised that I don't care much for curtains or blinds, or closing them so the neighbours can't see in. The neighbours are incredibly close - just a few metres away, yet I don't feel the need to close the blinds and windows so there is not even the tiniest gap. I don't think that anyone is looking in them and if they are, well that's bad luck for them if they see something they don't want to see. I like looking out. Even at night because it's never dark here and the clouds are often pink and pretty.

It's a long way from what I grew up with. I like that the neighbours are close and having the curtains open. I think it's hard to be lonely when it's like this.