You parents out there will know just how easy it is to loose yourself in the mundane day to day to-do-list of parenting. I for one get lost all the time and often find myself spending days just trying to plan a route out, in order to be found again. Let's face it, nobody likes being lost (unless you're a wanted criminal) so why do we allow ourselves to be so?
It dawned on me today that getting lost in spontaneity is the key to staying found. As I walked along the high-street, carrying out a task on my never ending to-do-list (going to the bank) I saw a chic looking café. Stopping in my tracks to admire it and take note of the name - in order to plan a visit one day - spontaneity screamed loudly in my ear.
"Visit it now!" it shouted.
"But how can I?" I replied sheepishly. "I have one hundred and one things to do today. I can't possibly sit in a café, drinking tea. I'm not one of those mums.
"Visit it now!" it exclaimed again.
After pondering a while, I decided to go with the loud voice screaming at me like an angry dictator. Visiting a café is not something I would normally do, but I am so pleased I did it! Whilst in the warmth of the café, taking in the sweet aroma of coffee and cakes and listening to the Jazz saxophone oozing gently out of the speakers mounted on the wall, I did something I have not done in a while. I relaxed! The business of the world didn't matter, everything paused and my to-do-list was out of mind. I was enjoying sipping tea and eating cake in a café. I was one of those mums!
I felt refreshed and proud of myself for simply living life a little. Some of you reading this may think the idea of going to sit in a café to drink tea is not living life... fair enough, but for someone who is constantly preoccupied with nappies, breast pumps, laundry, sleep deprivation etc ... it is LIVING LIFE. To satisfy those of you rolling your eyes right now, I also went ice-skating, and go-karting earlier this week - getting home after midnight... a different type of spontaneity but spontaneity nonetheless... so you can stop with the eye rolling.
If you're reading this and you are hopelessly lost in that mundane to-do-list of parenting, please try to find yourself by doing an activity that you wouldn't normally do. It can be an activity with the kids or without... just shake it up a little. Your activity may be go-karting or going to the café like I did ... or it may be going to see a film with the kids or bungee jumping (hopefully without the kids). Whatever constitutes spontaneity for you - have a go. Do something different. Hopefully it will help you find you again.
Don't stay lost guys, continually search and make sure you find yourself every once in a while! Say yes to spontaneity - it certainly helped me - give it a chance to help you!
-Evangeline The Poet
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