Post is a little late today.
I’ve just got in after being out walking with my friend. A spontaneous text ‘I’m in the Lakes holidaying, don’t suppose you are free for a catch up’. And free I was.
So we set off up Latrigg, an easy (ish) walk near a town called Keswick. The reward at the summit of Latrigg is a spectacular view over Derwent Water (lake) and the town of Keswick. Not that we noticed the view too much, as we were catching up. We were lost in chat covering 4 years of not seeing each other.
Complete flow. I’m not sure we would’ve noticed if we’d accidently walked over Skiddaw (quite a high mountain) and back down Blencathra (also high mountain).
We thought we were having a quick catch up. A few hours later…
We often talk about Flow when we think about work, or at least work we enjoy. When you get so lost you have no idea what time it is or how long you’ve been doing something. Flow State.
But isn’t the joy of catching up with friends, wherever that might be the Ultimate Flow State. The moment that life make sense. Where time just goes, and could go on forever, if it could.
It’s too easy not to make time. To be too busy to catch up. Too busy to get round to organise meeting friends. But. It’s an add on. It’s not a nice thing to do. Flow State is necessary to recharge our batteries and remind us who we are.
Meeting friends is the Ultimate Flow State, it’s not optional, it’s a thing we must do.
(and if your friends arent creating that brilliant Flow State, then maybe time to refresh friends? - harsh? maybe?)
eleanor
I had 2 fab flows last weekend. Some friends came for dinner on Friday, after early doors at the pub, we sat down to eat at 8ish. Next thing we knew it was 2am. If anyone had asked me the time at any point that evening, I'd have had no idea. Likewise, on Sunday, I went for a walk round Rutland Water with a friend. We walked in the sunshine for over 2 hours. I have no clear recollection of the route we took, just setting off, arriving back and seeing a few sheep! And that flow didn't even involve alcohol!
You're right, getting together with good friends and getting in a flow is good for the soul. In the past couple of years we've got out of the habit of making these important arrangements - fixing to meet our friends in person. Time to start scheduling them in again!