Its summer in South Florida. Which means its raining non-stop. However, we somehow managed to have a pretty decent day today. The sun was shining. The birds were chirping...so we went to the mall.
Between shopping for last minute birthday gifts, back to school accessories, and lunch at our favorite mall restaurant, my daughter and I had a nice morning. I love our mall - its outdoor, has low and high end stores, and the entire thing is built around a waterway that runs throughout the entire mall. The landscaping is beautiful, its entirely shaded...and the best part? We usually see little kittens hiding in the bushes. For some reason or other, there are always a ton of cats! I know, not what you normally look for when going shopping, but hey, we dig it.
After we picked up my daughter's cousins to come swim in the pool, I was laying on the float thinking to myself..."this is the life."
Sure, I may not have the financial wherewithal to shop the way I used to, and my budget for birthday gifts isn't what it used to be...but I now have what I never had before - time to sit back and enjoy life. There are less than two weeks left before school starts back and I am actually here with my kid, making her breakfast, taking her out, swimming with her in the pool...it gets me kinda teary eyed thinking about how much our lives have changed since I quit working.
I mentioned to my husband that there were a few dresses I saw that I liked, and it was odd, not buying them just for the hell of it. Little things like that make me miss working, earning an income, padding the bank account.
But I am so much richer in so many other ways now. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I am really living my life. What's more is I am enjoying my life.
photo: weheartit.com
Clif
Now that is great to read. Amazing how the small details of life can make for a huge difference, and to recognize this is inspirational. I am procrastinating packing for Florida. I am leaving Friday day sometime. I am looking forward to being down there again. I love Florida ..so excited.
nicóle
I know exactly what you are talking about. I've stayed home pretty much since my eldest was born. I've had to pass up on a lot of pretty dresses too, but I realized that a closet full of pretty dresses would never-could never come close to the lovely days I've had with my boys. Kudos to you for taking a step back and enjoying life!