Time

Time

I feel so fortunate for this period in my life, in that I have time. I have time to sit at my computer writing; to walk down the beach each morning and to sit and relax, should that be what I feel like doing. For so much of my life, I have been incredibly busy ­­­­­- working a 40-hour week and managing five children. Many Saturdays were spent attending the boys’ rugby games, helping with after-match refreshments and generally running from one venue to the next. Sundays were my day of rest and often, those days were spent driving to one of the nearest beaches, where all too soon, it was time to return home. On top of all of that, there were at least two loads of washing daily, with the clothes having to be hung out before work and folded in the evenings, alongside cooking dinner, helping the kids with their homework and running the boys to their respective sports’ practices. Fortunately, Renee didn’t partake in any after-school activities as a youngster, so that eased the workload somewhat.

Then three of my kids left home in the same year. One would have thought life would have been easier, but I shifted a couple of times down and up country, there was study, and more school activities. The workload never really lessened.

Finally, everyone had left home. That should have been the end of the hard work but somehow my life seemed to stay busy. Once I started my massage, I saw a large number of working clients, so my days extended to three or four evenings each week and at one point Renee and her partner lived with me, filling the house and creating even more busy-ness.

My current house is a holiday location, so while I was massaging, summers became my busy time, with holiday-makers filling my weekdays and weekends.

Then I got sick. I suddenly had plenty of time, but no energy to utilise it, as sitting upright, or even driving, was too difficult.

So, it is lovely now to be retired, to be well and to be able to do the things I enjoy. This hit home particularly, this morning. We have my granddaughter, Willow, staying for four days. So, I can’t just abandon her for the computer as I could do if it was just Stephen and me. This morning, we have had a beach walk and a trip to the local op-shop, where Willow chose some books to read. Now she is watching a cartoon on tv, giving me time to put this blog together and making me appreciate the spare time I generally do have these days.

I believe Covid and lockdown showed people there was another way to live, that our lives don’t need to be as busy as they have been in the past. I know there are many businesses that have adopted a four-day working week in light of this. Having more time to pursue hobbies or relax, can only be a positive thing for people’s mental health and wellbeing. Is this perhaps the start of the new world order that has been talked about?