Forget It, I’m Going Fishing

I’ve had so much on my plate lately. Between trying to complete my KonMari decluttering project, keep up with the dishes, laundry and cleanliness of our house, planning for our Colombian getaway, preparing for anticipated visitors, caring for an extra toddler, working on a plethora of sponsored and contributor posts for other websites and brands, planning Little Miss’s second birthday party, plus keeping my little one busy, learning, loved and fed, my world is pretty crazy right now.

With all this craziness, I can get pretty wrapped up in trying to get everything done, using up every moment in time to work on my to-do list, multitasking wherever possible and appropriate (changing diapers does not mix with dinner prep, folding laundry, or anything really). While it feels good to get things done and crossed off my list, and I am the type of person who enjoys being busy with life, it can also get somewhat overwhelming. When you get into a pattern like this, it can be hard to take a step back and remember that it’s important to just be. To simply enjoy being alive. Being in the here and the now.

Despite the big to-do list that is my life, I have been making the conscious choice to push everything aside lately, and enjoying the simple pleasures of living my life for a few hours at a time. In the past few weeks, I’ve had plans to do this or that, intending on taking advantage of some alone time at the house to get things done, but decided to say “Screw it. I’m going fishing.”

Being ever so lucky as to have access to a family boat on our beautiful pacific ocean waters, on sunny days (and even days with just a peek of sun and relatively calm waters) it’s fairly likely that Dear Old Hubby G will suggest a fishing trip. I love being out on the waters, soaking in the natural beauty that is our Gulf Islands ocean playground, but since the little bean came around, it has become easier to send hubby off with a friend or his father while I stay home. Sometimes, when I have a lot to do, I will take Z baby off to Gramma’s while her Daddy’s out fishing, or choose to just keep her home with me. It can be stressful juggling a wriggling, busy little girl on a small speed boat, although it is getting easier (in some ways) as she grows more independent.

However, even while lately I have been so busy with all of life’s recent craziness and everyday tasks, I’ve been changing my mind last-minute to head out for an evening on the water. At times we’ll bring the little squirt with us, but the last time we set sail-less sail out on the deep blue yonder, we left Ziggity with her grandparents and enjoyed an impromptu date out on the ocean. It was beautiful.

We need these moments. Life is busy. I’m coming to realize that it’s always going to be busy, especially now that it’s not just the two of us wanna-be-adults with the luxury to be as lazy and messy as we could afford pre-baby. Setting aside the to-do list in favour of filling the soul and renewing connections to your family, friends, and even your own self is invaluable. It’s something that should always be part of your to-do’s, written in bold and carefully tended to.

So, did my home get cleaner? Did my words get written? Did the files get sorted? Did that project get finished? No. But my heart was made happy, and relationships made stronger. This is worth far more than a clean house, every time.