Wandering

I love the phrase “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear”.  Over the course of my adult life, I’ve had the great pleasure of having some amazing teachers enter into my life at the exact point where I’ve required teaching and guidance.

Perhaps it is born out of my desire to slow down the incessant march of time, to maintain this time in my life, to keep my kids from aging further, but regardless of the reason, I’ve found myself resisting organized activities, for me, for them, for our family.

I noticed this first when we were on vacation.  My son was quite desperate to go on a lobster fishing cruise.  I did not want to go.  I had a visceral reaction against having any sort of obligation or commitment, especially one made several days in advance.

And this feeling has continued since we got back.  I’ve resisted signing the kids up for camp this summer – admittedly this is like playing Russian roulette as the longer I leave it, the less likely there will be space in any of the camps my kids would like to attend – hoping that we can spend the summer lazily doing as we please.

I’ve even resisted organized workouts – favouring running outdoors in the early morning hours to set workouts in a gym.

Yesterday, I went to amazon to look for a new novel to read – and the first suggestion for me was The Wander Society by Keri Smith.  On a whim, I downloaded it and started reading it last night.  I’m only partway in, but it absolutely amazing.  I might be a little bit biased as it has given me the permission or the encouragement to follow my current feelings, which got me thinking about the phrase with which I opened this post.

So today, I’ve been wandering in my house.  I’ve done some laundry, some tidying, some baking (there was yet another epic paleo dessert disaster . . . starting to believe the Husband’s theory that paleo baking just shouldn’t be a “thing”), and a whole lot of contemplating.  I didn’t make a to-do list for today, nor did I get many of the things I would have put on a to-do its done.  But I have had an thoroughly enjoyable day.

Do I believe that this is the most practical way to live life?  Absolutely not.  But I do believe there is a place for wandering in all our lives.  While I can’t slow down my kids growing up, I can take the time I have with them now to pay attention, to wonder and wander with them, physically and theoretically.  Will I put them in camps this year . . . ultimately, I will, but only for a little bit.  I still want to take most of this summer to do as we please.  Will I go back to regular workouts in the gym?  Sure I will.  But for now, I’m enjoying what I’m doing and being outside.

And on that note, I’m going to wonder back to my comfy place to do a bit more reading from this fantastical book.

Have a happy day.

xoxo