Monday, October 14, 2013

Lessons Learned from a Quiet Space

My 9 months of time off with Liam was precious.  We had nine lovely months together where my attention was directed on him and our home.  While he napped, I would tackle small projects around the house, but never took on anything large or overwhelming.  I couldn't always get meals on the table each night, but our house was relatively clean.  My weekly rhythm went like this:

  • Mondays:  Laundry while working on a photo or computer project
  • Tuesdays:  Alternate cleaning the front or back of the house while listening to favorite radio shows
  • Wednesdays:  Day off to rest
  • Thursdays:  Laundry
  • Fridays:  Day off to rest

Sometimes on Wednesdays or Fridays I would cook, but other times I would read, knit, or catch up on a television program.  

This rhythm really settled into place once Liam started extending his naps, giving me a bit more time to actually get into a project.  When Liam was up, we usually had a weekly class we were attending, and we often met friends at the park or for lunch.  

I also learned some really lovely and surprising lessons during my time at home, which made this time such a gift.

Lessons learned:
  • How simple a day can be, yet still feel so accomplished.  A walk, a nap, and food preparation is enough.  
  • I don't need to schedule our entire week or feel afraid of an empty event calendar looming ahead of us.  I can choose to be grateful for the time and space.
  • I learned about myself as a friend, as I made many new friends in the Mommy sphere.  
  • I learned to forgive, chill out, take things less seriously, give up some control, and let a day unfold as it will.
  • I learned to love more deeply than I ever though I could, and give more of myself than I thought I had.
  • Everything I need is around me and within me at all times.  There's a peace that comes with that.
  • I learned how to be patient, how to calm Liam, and remain calm, centered, and present even if there is chaos around us.  
  • I am still learning how to take care of myself so that I can give to others

I miss these days.  The last month and a half has been a whirlwind.  But I've organized my work schedule so that I'm off on Fridays, and I try to reconnect to that feeling of calm and peace.  This past Friday was just that.  It had been raining nonstop for days, and there was really no reason to leave the house.  Liam and I played, relaxed, and cooked together.  I worked on projects and cleaned up a bit around the house while he napped.  We don't have a full week of endless time anymore to spread chores out, but at least we have this every Friday to exhale a bit.  I'm grateful for that. 

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