In the loop with Stoop: You

I am an extrovert.

Put me in the middle of it all and I’ll blossom, my cheeks will flush rosy red, and my laugh will carry miles wide. It is when I am surrounded by loving minds that I feel electric and alive.

Still, most of my favourite moments are the ones where I was truly and completely alone. Late fall afternoons in Dutch meadows, crisp spring mornings roaming through Scottish Hills, blazing Australian heat in Byron Bay or numbing cold on a French Christmas night.

The reason why my solitary moments are so deeply cherished is because they are so incredibly rare; a sentence I am so blessed to write.

What you must know about me is that I am an unbelievably spoiled human being. Whoever is in charge has gifted me with wonderful souls wherever I’ve gone. People with a sparkle in their eyes, talent in their veins, and love in their hearts. People I am so incredibly proud to call my friends.

It is on a day like this, one before I fly home, that I become aware of the abundant bunch of love I am allowed to surround myself with. It is on a day like this that I get a little soppy and soft.

I believe the value friendship can get lost sometimes in world dominated by romantic love. The ones we hold close, who provide us with loyalty and kindness, should be just as cherished as the one who holds us close at night.

So this is for you, you who have supported me, laughed and danced with me. You know who you are; I truly love you.