My husband left for a four day business trip today....
The kids returned to school....
I am left feeling....giddy, joyful, even relieved....and happy...
Does this make me a bad wife? a bad mother?
I used to think so. And to be quite honest, I used to feel guilty about feeling joy...when I had some time to myself.
That was the old me.
The new me is guilt free. I love my husband, I love my children. I cherish our family time, our rhythms, routines, evenings playing Wii, the chaos etc....
However, I have really come to learn that despite appearing to be quite an extrovert, I am rather quite an introvert. I NEED the solitude of being alone with my thoughts, to be alone in my home to create (and clean)and bring order which calms my soul (is that crazy?). I need my weekly yoga practice with women who inspire me to be a better me - something I have skipped during these frantic holiday weeks.
Mostly this week, I will enjoy my evenings when time is mine and mine alone...
I will indulge a bit...
And sit, uninterrupted, with one of my favorite Christmas presents....
And perhaps watch a bit of bad (but oh so good) reality television...
After yoga, I might head to my favorite store and enjoy the luxury of browsing as long as I want....
And if I feel like spoiling myself a bit...I might buy this gorgeous purse I have been waiting for Anthro to put on sale but alas....they have not....
Holidays are wonderful....
Holidays are hard too....
Especially on us women types. We tend to over do, over deliver, rise too early and stay up too late....
We are, by nature, givers....
We give and give until we have nothing left...(or am I just speaking for myself?)
Solitude....it's just what I need to re-charge my battery.
How about you? Do you crave solitude? Does it recharge you the way it does me?
If not, what do you do to recharge your battery? Has it changed over the years?
The kids returned to school....
I am left feeling....giddy, joyful, even relieved....and happy...
Does this make me a bad wife? a bad mother?
I used to think so. And to be quite honest, I used to feel guilty about feeling joy...when I had some time to myself.
That was the old me.
The new me is guilt free. I love my husband, I love my children. I cherish our family time, our rhythms, routines, evenings playing Wii, the chaos etc....
However, I have really come to learn that despite appearing to be quite an extrovert, I am rather quite an introvert. I NEED the solitude of being alone with my thoughts, to be alone in my home to create (and clean)and bring order which calms my soul (is that crazy?). I need my weekly yoga practice with women who inspire me to be a better me - something I have skipped during these frantic holiday weeks.
Mostly this week, I will enjoy my evenings when time is mine and mine alone...
I will indulge a bit...
And sit, uninterrupted, with one of my favorite Christmas presents....
And perhaps watch a bit of bad (but oh so good) reality television...
After yoga, I might head to my favorite store and enjoy the luxury of browsing as long as I want....
And if I feel like spoiling myself a bit...I might buy this gorgeous purse I have been waiting for Anthro to put on sale but alas....they have not....
Holidays are wonderful....
Holidays are hard too....
Especially on us women types. We tend to over do, over deliver, rise too early and stay up too late....
We are, by nature, givers....
We give and give until we have nothing left...(or am I just speaking for myself?)
Solitude....it's just what I need to re-charge my battery.
How about you? Do you crave solitude? Does it recharge you the way it does me?
If not, what do you do to recharge your battery? Has it changed over the years?
Posts
how i wish you were my neighbor so we could sit and drink our wine while watching the bachelor together.
ReplyDeleteoh...and while wearing our new boots from anthro.
xo
i totally agree! we do need our down time! right now, i am reading some of my favorite blogs and drinking some wine while my hubby is putting the kiddos to bed! i think this time helps make us alittle better at what we do! so have fun and enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteAhhh, do you need some company??
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful!
Krista
I so understand this post! I love my alone time...and no we should not feel any guilt about it! ;) Enjoy!! Happy New Year to you!!
ReplyDeleteHugs and love,
~Victoria~
Your day sounds perfect! I'll take 2 please! ;)
ReplyDeletelawsy me, no! no! hubs is leaving for MS for a wk and i'm looking forward to 'slobbing' around the house, sleeping in, watching movies...so enjoy!
ReplyDeleteYep, happy peace and quiet!
ReplyDelete: )
Julie M.
Wow, we all sound so much alike..."sisters" each spread around the country but share a similar longing for the simple quiet times; to balance our not so quiet times. Families, jobs, interests, committments,things we are proud of in so many ways and yet they drain us from time to time. January...a time to sleep, or lounge or do whatever makes you happiest!!! To all...ENJOY!
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with a little time by yourself...we all need it! Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Linda
oh how i wish i could join for a little of the good stuff! i used to feel the same guilty way...but now i know that i am an even better mom, wife and what not if i get a little time to create and do what brings me joy!
ReplyDeleteOh, you lucky girl!
ReplyDeleteI'm an only child, so I crave solitude (probably more than I should)
Have a wonderful week!
~Amy
Oh it sounds dreamy....you enjoy it Jill!!!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have been together for 17 years, have both worked at home for most of those years (in separate offices) and our nest emptied out in 2009. We are together ALL. THE. TIME. Quite frequently one of us will ask the other questions like "when are you going to your dad's/mom's for a visit?", "don't you need to go to the mall/carwash/bookstore today?", "when's your next night out with your friends?", etc. We're lucky that we enjoy each other's company so much, but we also each appreciate the other's desire for a little alone time. Enjoy yours!
ReplyDeleteSo funny that this purse would show up in my bloggy travels today!! I was at Anthro last night and spotted it...then spotted the price tag! Ouch!!I drive a school bus so it's a little out of my price range!! I seriously spent the day dreaming of it though!!! That and the cool chunky pearl bracelet!! Love your blog!!....:)
ReplyDeleteI know just what you mean.. I love "my people" but man there is nothing so peaceful every once in a while as a bit of solitude.. I love the sound of NOTHING!! haha
ReplyDeleteEnjoy,
Staci
I SO understand.......our children were back to work and school, my husband was out of town for a couple days, I was PSYCHED!!!!! Then one of the kids came back AGAIN and I had to see my mom, and a friend was NEEDY------the best laid plans.... Perhaps next week. My husband will be in Germany for 6 days... (Now if I can just keep that middle child from moving back until the end of the month!) I LOVE being ALONE!
ReplyDeleteannie g