The View from My Office Today
Posted by Lisa Hendey in Just me on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 1:00 PM
Let me apologize in advance for the fact that this post may spark a bit of envy in some of you who are still experiencing frigid temps or who haven’t had a moment to yourself in the past thirteen years.
I contemplated keeping my good fortune this week a secret, but couldn’t help but share with you the wonders of a “mom retreat”! Yesterday, after taking Adam to the airport for his D.C. trip, my wonderful husband Greg drove me and our small trailer three hours west to the coast at Pismo Beach. Greg parked the trailer, got everything set up for me, enjoyed the beach views and lunch, and then headed back to Fresno.
So here I am until Sunday, enjoying a few days of peace and solitude while I finish up the first round of editing on my book project before sending it to my publisher. It’s stunningly quiet, with only the outside sounds of the other campers, the wind and the ocean to fill my ears. I’m not exactly “roughing it” with full electrical hookups and a wifi connection - the perfect office away from home!
Now that our older son Eric is driving himself to school and with Adam out of town, it was possible to sneak in this six day retreat with relatively little planning. Being here by myself has already given me a small peek into what life will be like in the “post kid” phase. Last night, I went for a two hour walk on the beach, had dinner, read and slept for over ten hours! This morning I was able to walk to Mass at a parish that is less than a mile from my campsite and then have coffee on the pier prior to getting down to work. I’m hoping that the week will be both spiritually fruitful and productive in finishing off this phase of my project.
I already know after less that a day that I’m not yet ready for the “post kid” phase - I miss my men fiercely, and it feels almost startling to only have to worry about myself and my own needs. But it’s very nice to have a few days to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation and to focus on my work.
Do you ever pause to think about what your life will be like in the future? This morning at Mass, I had a few of those thoughts as I watched the silver haired ladies around me recite the rosary in a leisurely fashion, pray throughout Mass and then stay afterward to recite the Divine Mercy Novena prayers. So many days, my prayer life happens “on the fly” - it’s hard to imagine a day when the joy of being a daily communicant will be a regular and unhurried part of my life.
I’ll try during the next few days to give you a little peek into my life here at the Coast. I wish you could all be here with me for a few days, enjoying a “mom retreat” of your own. Since you cannot, please rest assured that you and your families are in my thoughts and prayers!
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