I'm in the deep of the school holidays. I'm at that stage where I need a little me time (and not the kind where I'm looking at the blue line at the bottom of the swimming pool as I escape for a 30 minute training swim, nor where I pound the pavements for an uncomfortable jog feeling unfit and dissatisfied.)
I need a bit of silence and isolation. I need a bit of time being just me.
I'm writing this on a day when I have a house full of kids, all fun, all being kids, and all about what the holidays should be about.
But the reality for me is I put "me" on hold for the month of January, until school starts and I can start living my life as me, more meaningfully, rather than just my life as a mum/foodprovider/taxidriver/social events organiser. I exercise sporadically and quickly, I write infrequently, but I plan voraciously.
And I cherish my kids being "off" and free to play without the constrains of school uniforms, school timetables and after school activities. I love them being around me. I love them and don't wish them anywhere other than here with me.
Conflicting huh?
I had lunch with a couple who spend a good chunk of summer in a beach house at a lovely spot with only a surf club kiosk as the only place for a coffee, yet a 20 minute walk along a stunning beach for more civilisation. My friend says she loves being on her own at the house, her husband is heading overseas for a few weeks. And in a small kitchen surrounded by salad makings and meat to barbecue, we had a lovely meeting of the minds, I would love the chance to be on my own for a bit, to be quiet, to be peaceful.
And as I write this, my time obsessed son puts an iPhone by me with a clock ticking loudly that he's found on it. That I don't need.
And yet, I still think of how when I'm on my own and the days are mine, how I seem to squander time, how I'm not 100% purposeful, how I always feel time is racing.
So I will use this next few weeks not stressing about what I'm not doing but relishing what I am doing with my kids each day, and the kind of mum I'm being. And I will plan how I will use my precious time alone more purposefully so time isn't lost but used.
Do you ever feel this conflict between what you want and what you do?
Lisa I struggle with this on a daily basis and the conflict can be overwhelming sometimes! The kids are back at day care and vacation care this week and I feel like there is a strat to having that time - if only there was not the pressure of having to pack up the house we have to move out of on the weekend! I think we struggle anyway as a mother to regain our 'self' completely don't we! BTW is that lovely image on this post in your back yard? It is certainly something I would like in mine:-) Great post and looking forward to the next one!
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