I am a cat, in more ways than one. A distinct feature, though, is that I love people ferociously. However, my enthusiasm for their company comes in bite-sized portions. I need to find my solace in drives, park walks, meticulous itinerary planning, or quiet time with my stationary and books. Without this requisite space and my alone time, I occasionally find myself morphing into a pouncing puma, ready to tear into the chaos.
With all that said, I can safely conclude that co-living in larger families is not my strong suit.
Imagine my plight when I had to spend a few relentless months with my in-laws and my family, constantly surrounded by their smothering company.
While motherhood is undeniably precious, the lack of necessary breaks had me on the brink of losing my composure. To salvage this discomfort and re-attain my sanity, I decided it was time for an escape—a getaway from absolutely everything.
And by everything, I mean everything, including the metaphorical (read the occasional) puma leaps within me. As it’s not entirely possible, I picked three aspects of my every day where I could seek time for myself.
- Productivity: embarking on a certification prep journey, an endeavor that would require me to immerse myself in solitary study sessions.
- Challenge: taking driving classes as a way to earn my daily dose of mental alertness while physically retreating away from everyone.
- Personal pursuit: creating a storybook for Sky to share our story of how we came together as a family.
I have only begun on these three, so only time can tell about their progress. However, with them in mind, I’m at more peace than I was before inventing them.
