This is my very first summer without my girls or going back to Karachi, Pakistan to visit my ill mother. It feels pretty strange not to take care of the family. I’m not sure I like this freedom, or am I missing responsibilities? I know one thing for sure; I am a people person. So I am differently missing human interaction on the daily basis. Plus I always have something or someone to take care of. So right now it’s a nice change and a challenge at the same time. I only have to take care of myself, which I’m learning now at this age.
I work in School, so during summer, school is off. Before summer break started, all the kids, parents and teachers were so excited and were looking forward to a break. Many people made plans to travel, visiting families or work around the home. I don’t have any of those plans. But I have to admit it has been almost a month since I am home on summer break and have no plans it’s kind of nice.
Now slowly I am learning how to relax and I don’t always have to be on go. Now I call it, I am recharging my batteries, and it feels wonderful. I realized I had become one of those people who likes to be on schedule all the time. Which there is nothing wrong with, and when you have a lot to take care or if a lot going on, having a schedule helps.
Another thing I am dealing with or learning that is new to me is that my girls are older now and they don’t need me as much as they did before on a daily basis. They will always need their mother but now they can pretty much take care of everything without my help. I’m really proud of them, but it’s a learning process for me. I am so used to it doing everything for them. I have to trust them and let them fly and trust them. Yes, they will make mistakes, but it’s part of being human, and this is the only way they will learn about life. And both of them know their mother will always be there for them.
Since I am home I also noticed I have time to do the things I have been waiting for such as working in the garden, meeting friends or publishing a book. I have been working on a book for the last two years and finally I’m almost done and I am proud to say my first book is published.
When we take a break that’s when we realize how busy we were and we enjoy break not being on the schedule but relaxing. As an adult we have lots of responsibilities and as a good citizen we try our best, but I feel like we forgot our own self and we focused on the destination instead of the journey. Why do we only enjoy summer time? Three month out of the 12 months. Why don’t we enjoy the other 9 months, too? Different people have different jobs and different responsibilities. There’s no arguing on that. But no matter what kind of life we have we should enjoy each day and instead of waiting for a summer break or a vacation that is in the future we should feel today because that’s all we have. Tomorrow may never come but we have today. Many people, including myself, plan ahead and worry for tomorrow but we forgot what about today.
Enjoyment doesn’t mean spending money or changing routine. Whatever we are doing and wherever we are, take a deep breath and feel the moment and make memories. Today will become yesterday, and nobody knows what will happen tomorrow but the beautiful today NOW is here.
