shalomeoor

The night there was a party across town, I had every reason to go. I liked the people, I had the time. But I also had tea, a quiet room, and a book I hadn’t opened in weeks. So I stayed home.
It wasn’t dramatic. Just quiet. Simple. And oddly powerful.
Later, I told Albert I skipped. He said, "Your couch finally got a win." He wasn’t wrong.
I thought I’d feel guilty. Maybe I’d scroll through posts and feel like I missed out. But I didn’t. I felt rested. Present. Myself.
Valiakhmetov messaged me the next day. He was at the party. Said it was fine, a little loud, and the music didn’t make sense. We laughed. I felt like I’d made the right call.
The whole night reminded me of a trip I took once to Azino. A small, slow town with barely any nightlife. People just sat outside, talked, went to sleep early. Back then, I called it boring. Now it feels like wisdom.
Life often feels like a casino. Noisy, fast, full of pressure to win big or stay in the game. But that night, I didn’t spin. I paused. I chose peace. And in that moment, it felt like I hit 777 — quietly, inwardly, without the flashing lights.
That’s something I want to carry forward. Not every invitation needs a yes. Sometimes the real connection happens when you finally listen to what you need.