I'm traveling on business, and my wife, Chris, is with me for a change. My beloved sister is at the house taking care of the kids and the dogs, so Chris and I are alone for 5 days--longer than we've been alone together since the first child was born 13 years ago.
We are both struck with the novelty of how care-free we feel. We are giddy. We'd forgotten how it feels to not be focused on caring for others. We love being parents and pet owners, but it's a pleasure to take a break, to let go of these responsibilities, and to just enjoy being together.
We really forgot what this feels like. It is SO different, we're thinking that--on the flip side--people who have no kids have NO idea what it feels like to be constantly concerned with their needs.
I swear Chris looks 15 years younger today, and so do I!
This is a business trip. I'm working 10 to 12 hours per day. But it doesn't matter. We still went to dinner tonight and toasted to feeling care free.
And then we had a second toast. I raised my glass: "To capturing this feeling and finding a way to maintain it when we go back to our normal lives. To--somehow--feeling care free when we're once again hovering over the kids and the dogs . . . CHEERS!!!!!"
Ben and Chris,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on getting away for a few days alone. I can't believe this is the first time! It's truly a wonderful feeling to feel so carefree and relaxed. You won't wait another 13 years to do it again.
I can't wait to follow up on your second toast and see if you are able to maintain the feeling once you return home to kids and dogs. If you do, I have to find out the secret.