Acceptance.

One of the things that's struck me most about life in lockdown is the way it's exposed the humanity, the messiness, the idiosyncratic and subtle and beautiful flaws we all carry.

I've watched my partner, my friends - myself - go a little crazy. We get grumpy for no good reason and then happy for no good reason and each wrestle with our own selves, our own heads, our own warbly and warped edges.

The lockdown has stripped away so much of what keeps us busy, constructs our public identities, says in clear and well-defined terms - this is who I am and what I'm doing.

Now, just this mess is me.

Weird and flawed and crazy in my own ways. Beautiful and hopeful and hopeless all at the same time.

And for me - with this broad exposure to who we really are - is coming a profound sense of acceptance. I'm a little crazy. So's my partner. So are my friends. So - I guess it pretty likely - are you. :)

And you know what? It's fine. Maybe better than fine, even.

This too, is who we are. It's wonderful to notice.

Have an authentic week,

-Steven

p.s. The best thing I saw all week was this creative and hilarious compilation of people who are reenacting famous paintings - from their homes. :)