Quote by Walter Mosley

This week I’ve worked silly hours at work and that’s meant that the demand on all areas of my life has increased from chores at home to time with loved ones. The week has had its moments of being overwhelming and then I had an amazing experience.

I had to return Thursday evening to work for a meeting at 6:30pm, I couldn’t go home and return to work in time so I went to a friend who lives local to the school I work at for a cuppa and an escape from the building i’d been in all day. She has twin girls so her house is a vision of pink and sparkle – it’s truly delightful, plus I’ve always been intrigued by multiple births and find the girls not only scrumptious but also fascinating, just the fact there is pretty much two of every toy blows my mind, plus Barbies house is beyond the realms of my reality – a tractor loving, puddle jumping monster.

Anyway, my friend picked the girls up and I was to meet her shortly after she arrived home. In typical Lucy style I was early, stranded on the door step and the cats weren’t prepared to let me in. 

I leaned on the garden wall and began my wait when a cheeky idea popped into my head, it was a silly spontaneous moment that saved my week. Opposite her house is a convinient store, so I ran over and bought a packet of crisps as a treat. I then sat on the wall in the 4pm sun swinging my legs without a care in the world. I know it’s sad but it felt delightful. 

Know why? Because it’s true, I love crisps but more importantly in a demanding week I had five minutes to just be. To sit. Not one person demanded something from me; not the pupils I teach, the family I adore or even the pet snails. I didn’t look at my phone and I wasn’t planning / time shuffling, there was nothing to do and certainly no list to haunt me. It reminded me of being a child without a care in the world and I liked it. 

Before you close this page or am concerned I’ve lost the plot – don’t. What I’m saying is no matter how small the time is when priorities are all encompassing always ALWAYS make time for you. If that means a cup of tea and five minutes under the duvet or locked in the bathroom with a good book – do it. Sure I know I need to get out more but for now when the world demands and keeps knocking on my door, I will perch on my wall kicking my legs without a care in the world, and when my crisp packet is empty and the sun has warmed my cheek bones I will answer the door with a bigger smile, as a better being and ‘demand’ will be no more.

I urge you too to embrace the small moments life offers, to be spontaneous in thought and gesture when appropriate and to make time for you because Walter is right – freedom is a state of mind.