We welcomed a daughter into our family in April. Needless to say, this has been a joyous occasion beyond anything my wife and I had imagined. Thankfully both mom and baby had a smooth birth, and now we’re all resting at home and getting used to this new life together.

Fatherhood has changed my perspective in ways both obvious and unexpected ways. Every spare moment, and there are precious few with a newborn, is devoted to things around the house, my garden projects, work for my master’s programme in Buddhist Studies, or simply sitting and enjoying being a family together. I’ve had no desire for The Internet. It’s been very clear what feeds and newsletters to cull. I suspect I’ll go back to my online sabbatical, partly from conviction, partly from shifting priorities.

One thing that stood out to me in this whole process was how wonderful all of the people in the Dutch medical system have been. The midwives and nurses have been so compassionate and caring. It does make me reflect that there’s something special about the real world beyond these screens. While I can only see myself making Figma files as a living for many years to come, I suspect my life outside of work will become increasingly grounded in the real world, my new daughter leading the way.