Mjolnir strikes the sky

Mjolnir strikes the skies
Flooding streets, halting progress 
Tiredness and rest

Friday was a day of sunshine and thunderstorms. The thunderstorms followed days of sunshine and unprecedented heat—a heatwave here in the UK. On Wednesday evening, I did something I haven't done in a long time.

I played an eight-a-side football match.

On top of that, I only knew one person playing. With that came the anxiety of meeting new people, finding the dynamic of the group and where I would fit in.

Over the past few weeks, I've come to realise I don't have any friends I can just be Adam with. Not a father, a husband or a work colleague—just Adam. I've struggled to keep friendships alive over the years. Some old, long-standing friendships have become strained, and I'm not even sure if they still exist.

So I'm trying to reach out again. I've already contacted one old friend. I still need to reach out to another, but that friendship has suffered through my own fault. He's tried reaching out before, and I just couldn't connect. I'm not even sure if I know this old friend anymore.

So the game was a nervous evening. How would I talk to them? How would I introduce myself? So many questions—questions I couldn't really answer. I just had to go and see how the evening unfolded.

The game went well, and I was made to feel welcome. I even had a great time. Despite making a few mistakes, nobody made me feel bad about them. The lads were supportive and easygoing, which made the evening much easier.

Well... not entirely easier.

The physical side was the hardest part. I'm well aware of how unfit and overweight this midlife body is. I was exhausted afterwards, and then I had two day shifts at work. All of it with poor, broken sleep. Another area I know I need to improve. I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to getting enough rest.

Which brings me back to Friday.

The day of sunshine and thunderstorms.

By Friday evening, I was exhausted. The rain had caused flooding in my hometown, slowing everything down. Much like how I felt. I needed to slow down too.

So on Saturday, I did just that. I helped get Grace ready for her dance school costume fitting, checked the hot tub water, then sat and watched Netflix until lunchtime. I even managed seven hours of sleep on Friday night.

Will it fix my problems? No.

But it's helping me recalibrate and restore my mind and body as I head into a new week. New challenges, new highs, new lows, and everything in between.