Take Time To Say Yes

During my cleaning binge, I had lots of time to think about what activities I enjoy doing and past times that bring me happiness.

I took some time out to take part in activities that I haven’t been able to do on a regular basis for several years now. By the end of the weekend, I felt like my cup was full and I had really enjoyed myself.

All of the activities happened at the end of the week. Part of my brain went into the mode of thinking that there was too much to do at home and I really shouldn’t take the time away. But the other part of my brain said, if you have the time, do it.

Taking The Time To Be With Others

My servant’s heart was filled when my friend and I drove to Dallas to deliver blessing bags for homeless veterans in our area and then enjoyed an impromptu lunch. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed being able to be part of something on a weekday. It reminded me why I enjoyed a flexible work schedule in the past. 

The two of us can talk about family, life, school, work and so much more. We can commiserate, laugh, cry and just have fun together. We are two totally different personalities but bring our own skill sets together to create greatness when we work together. We know we can count on each other when it really counts in life. 

Another day I was blessed to take a few hours out of the day and have lunch with a friend that I don’t get to see very often. We can go months without talking and pick up right where we left off as if no time has passed. It reminded me of when we worked with one another and could spend hours planning and helping each other be our best selves. She’s my secret keeper. The person I know I can tell anything and it won’t be passed on to anyone else. 

While we chatted we discussed my figuring out what I enjoy doing that isn’t centered on my family. I have always loved music, theater, arts, sports, live entertainment, and traveling. I love reading and enjoyed being part of book clubs. I loved being part of mom’s groups when my kids were little because I enjoyed the Mom’s Night Out dates and time with friends. Some of these things I quit doing because of the cost and some because of life changes. Many are things I can start doing again. My friend and I came up with a plan to help get me started on a couple of the activities and even set up dates on the calendar to get together again.

Over the weekend I took a last minute day road trip with another friend so she didn’t have to travel alone. We chatted for hours while we were in the car. Enjoyed lunch at a new to me restaurant. Parted for a few hours and then that night her family came over for dinner, football and game night. We spent the majority of our day together and could have kept on talking. We are two people with very different views on the world and politics.

I think many wonder how we can be friends when we believe so differently about important topics. I tell my friend it’s because we are mature adults that can respect each other’s thoughts and ideas. We always listen to one another and try our best to do it without judgment. We’ve known each other for many years, but we became closer during the Covid shutdown and learned through that time that we could count on one another through the tough times of life.

Why Does This Matter?

To some these may be everyday occurrences. To me, these moments of spending time with others have been few and far between the last few years. They reminded me that building relationships with other women has been an ongoing passion of mine for many years. It doesn’t seem to matter what path I am on. Relationship building has always been important to me. It fills my cup. 

It also reminded me how blessed I am that I have these friendships. I’ve had many friends throughout the years. Some for a season and some for a reason. I’m thankful that each of these women brings something different to my life and appreciate that each one is cheering me on as I figure out my next steps.

Giving myself permission to go out and enjoy time with others away from my family and spending money on myself while doing so is a big step for me. It’s something I’ve kept myself from doing on a regular basis for quite some time. 

I didn’t shut down this week. I took notice of when I started to and switched gears. I made time to declutter and organize for a healthier home and mind. I said yes to time with others. I chose to find happiness in the little moments that were outside my family time and no surprise, we all survived!