On Solitude

Not much has surprised me about motherhood.  I certainly had many close friends and family members who blazed the trail before me.  Dear friends with similar personalities who didn't sugar-coat the sacrifices while still revealing their joy in the process.  And, mostly, I've loved being a mother these past two and a half years.

The surprise for me is how much I miss solitude.  To be alone with my thoughts for hours on end.  To be able to read a book from start to finish.  Or for that matter, to think a thought through from start to finish.

Last weekend I took a mini-vacation to the coast with some of my teacher friends.  I love hanging out with them. We are old friends at this point and comfortably relax, cook together, laugh together, stay up late or go to bed early at our own choosing.  We take long walks on the beach.  We go check out the little shops together.  It is relaxing and fun.

And after everyone took off on Sunday afternoon, I drove down to my favorite beach and walked all by myself for a while.  And went to a coffee shop and drank a latte and read a book all by myself.  And then I drove the two hours back to Portland listening to some of my favorite music all by myself.

It was good.  I need to remember to make time for solitude.