I have made time to breathe and be mindful. Spring holidays, for me, are about new beginnings and generating new ideas.
Two weeks’ holiday can fade away quickly, particularly when one tries to squeeze a production into the first week.
The sun is out, the weather is moderate, and I breathe in the fresh spring air as I write. I have made a conscious effort to be mindful and I indulge in the simple beauty of the birds frolicking in the trees outside my window.
There is a large bush along the fence line; it provides privacy and a safe haven for many winged creatures. The Adelaide hills line the horizon and are a delightful sight as I write.
Yesterday, I did some gardening and although my front yard is mulched, a resilient tree has sprouted out from within the mulch bed. I pondered whether or not it is a weed and if I should remove it. Then I realised that I should not destroy such a lovely plant in the interest of aesthetics.
There is a symbolism to this plant’s resilience to generate life where it was unexpected. It was a frail skeleton during winter and now has bloomed into a sturdy little tree with a solid trunk and thorns. I find a nice poetry in this.
The strength of this little plant inspires me and it is a rather beautiful addition to the front yard. At present, a pigeon is nestling under it for shade and it makes me smile as I stare out the window.
Spring is my favourite season because the summer fruits are becoming available, the temperature is mild, and the days are longer.
Adelaide has some of the best beaches and sunsets in the world, and twilight walking is one my favourite pastimes. In fact, I enjoy walking a lot as some of my best ideas have occurred during a leisurely stroll.
I finished reading a few books in the break and I will write reviews on them soon.
My favourite part of the holidays was catching up with my family from Sydney, walking my greyhound and spending time with my husband. These simple treasures enrich me beyond words.
I was so happy that mum, her partner, and my grandma were able to visit Adelaide and watch my last performance.
I am even happier that my partner and I can enjoy some quiet time in conversation over tea.
I love these breaks from the usual haste of my life.
For an entire week, I did not answer to an alarm clock and I paced my days by my own intuition, and they flowed naturally.
I watched my grandma staring out to the sea not long ago. I remembered the times we would go fishing together when I was a little girl.
Those are some of my favourite childhood memories. She loves the ocean and I’m glad that I could sit with her peacefully near the beach.
As I grow older, I think about how fleeting life is.
I think of the many years that someone like my grandma has lived through and I can only imagine the stories. Her textured profile juxtaposed against the blue horizon warmed my heart.
As I ponder the school term ahead, I know that the next two months will be eventful, but investing in blissful relaxation has put me in a good frame of mind to tackle the challenges ahead.
Our senior students graduate in two weeks and that will be a special time. I’m particularly looking forward to some letters that I will hand out to students whom I taught in Year 10 a couple of years ago. They once wrote personalised letters to their future selves and I have kept these safe; I hope that they get some value from reading them before they finish school.
Perhaps, I should write a letter to my future self, goodness knows it would be entertaining at the very least.
