Ahhhh... the first day of the school holidays for summer! This moment seems so full of limitless potential for the summer stretching out ahead. It's a time to relax and savour the mornings without rushing out the door to make it to school on time. The sun feels so warm, friendly and life-giving these days.
I look forward to this opportunity to spend more relaxed time with my family. Oliver and I are both continuing to work through this time, but the pace is easing a bit and there's more time for play. I'm still working one-on-one with clients throughout the summer, and am in the throes of cooking up some new class offerings for 2018. And it's a glorious time of year for Oliver to be out and about with his camera - both for clients and for his personal work. The creative spark is alight!
The intention for my summer is to start each day with some time to myself. My capacities for patience and joy grow when I have had some of my own time before I share my energies with others. Even something as simple as sitting on the front porch in solitude for a few minutes first thing in the morning with my book and a cup of something warm is enough to fill my reservoirs. Tending to my own needs in this way is having compassion toward myself, which I find so important in parenting.
Yesterday I imagined I would sleep in late this morning to celebrate the first day of the hols. But my circadian rhythm had other plans for me. Awake at 5:30 am, with not a chance of going back to sleep, I decided to go out to the beach at Little Kaiteriteri. My whole family, including the dog, were fast asleep, so I quietly slipped away to the paradise that lies just down the road.
With my thermos of tea and my book, I made myself comfortable on the golden sand, reading, relaxing and soaking in the goodness all around me. Hardly anyone was on the beach, but I did end up seeing someone I know and we had a delightful chat. That's the joy of living in a small community.
I even went for a dip in the sea, which is unusual for me. The realisation that I never go to the beach on my own and that I never take myself off swimming on my own was startling. What a sense of freedom I was experiencing! Luckily the summer stretches ahead of me with limitless potential and many opportunities to take some time out for myself in this beautiful spot I call home now.