I followed my little girls around the gardens. We watched the mallard duck swim in circles, they threw dandelions in the water fountain. My big girl danced her way along the paths, calling back to me, ’let’s go this way, Mummy’. I was completely taken by the sun sparkles in the water and millions of baby blue forget-me-nots everywhere.
We crossed the road, parked the stroller and explored our favourite woodland trails. We stayed at the tire swing for ages, we all took turns and when I wasn’t pushing the tire, I drank in the gorgeous light filtering through the trees.
We kept walking, around the corner, over the tree roots and down the hill. We stopped at the first bridge, just a big log that has been smoothed over and made secure. The girls made themselves at home in the brook, splashing and getting all damp and lovely.
I sat and just breathed. It was the deep breath I needed. The hamster wheel stopped for a little while and I let myself be quiet.
I need to do that more often. I’ve flirted with the edge of burn out too many times over this past year. And so I’m stopping. I’m going to take a little holiday, with my little family. We’ll be going off-line and off-everything. We’ll be hanging out together, going for day trips to adorable little Nova Scotian towns, and saying ‘pooh, pooh’ to the tiger at the zoo. I’ll be getting off the hamster wheel of the endless screen. I’ll look deep into my little ones eyes and hold hands with my husband. And I won’t instagram any of it.
It’s a break. It’s my version of Bilbo’s holiday to the elves. I understand completely when he said felt like butter, spread too thin. Unlike Bilbo, I’ll be back. I’ll post this week’s weekly pictures and then I’ll close the laptop and turn off my phone. And I’ll open them again, sometime next week.
How do you stay refreshed in the everydayness of life? Do you take breaks regularly or are you ready to go on a holiday to the elves as well?
