36. It is not wrong

A litany against optimisation

It is not wrong to lose touch with someone, realise you miss them, reach out to them, and then discover as two adults what it all means.

It is not wrong to stay in bed until noon.

It is not wrong to start a book, enjoy a certain amount, and decide not to finish it.

It is not wrong to watch a how-to video, even several how-to videos, and not do the how you now know to do.

It is not wrong to eat a salad for lunch and veggie curry for dinner one day, and then the next day nothing but Manomasa Serrano Chilli and Yucatan Honey tortilla chips.

It is not wrong to think you can store up vegetable days to distribute during the rest of the week.

It is not wrong to give your sourdough starter the name you might give an adorable dog and then let it die.

It is not wrong to be on a Zoom call and ask someone to repeat what they just said because you stopped listening.

It is not wrong to add items to your cart, go to the checkout stage, add your payment info and shipping address, and then close the window before making the purchase, several times a week for months on end.

It is not wrong to learn to draw and then go so long without drawing you forget everything you learned.

It is not wrong to stop following friends on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter because you never want to see what they post.

It is not wrong to take longer to do literally everything.

It is not wrong to believe something at the beginning of a world changing event, live through some totally insanity-inducing situations, and find at multiple points during that time your beliefs require reassessing and you reassess them.

It is not wrong to buy a special pen for making lists.

It is not wrong to reward yourself for flossing.

It is not wrong to have the time you always said you needed to write a novel and then not write that novel, or even start writing it.

It is not wrong to decide on a Monday morning that it’s a “cocktail Monday”.

It is not wrong to leave it until tomorrow.

It is not wrong to be tired and sleep.

It is not wrong to ask for help.

It is not wrong.