Outside of Father’s Day a few weeks ago, I have been feeling relatively at peace. There are likely a few reasons for that feeling. The madness of the last school year is in the rearview mirror. Kid sports have winded down for a few weeks. Those two things have allowed me to take a deep breath and have a few evenings with zero obligations. Add in the warmer weather and you’ll find me in the sun by a body of water. These things are offering me some respite from the drudgery that can be normal life.
I am always working to balance raising the boys and filling their souls with ensuring I don’t lose mine along the way.
Last week, I went to a New Kids On The Block concert (without them), dressed up, and danced my tail off for hours. It felt amazing to be with friends and laughing at which member our teen-bop selves had a crush on. I also had Book Club last week, filling the desire to connect with friends about the lives that are born from pages and our own.
When the weekend rolled around it was time to head to the Lake for the first time this summer. Since I’d already filled myself up, I had more space to create memories for the kids. They each love something different at the lake – fishing, boating, tubing, swimming. So, I pried a catfish off a hook, gave snuggles on the boat, gained air on the tube and dived in the lake. To be fair, I like all those things except the slimy fish part. But sometimes, if we aren’t in a peaceful place ourselves, it’s hard to create that positive space even when we are doing something we love.
I hope to carry this peace for a while longer. I hope the upcoming 4th of July holiday is a gentle reminder of Tony being gone. All things considered; I like where I’m at right now.
