I now head back to work after a 7 month break. And what a break! I’ve done everything I dreamed of doing: travelling, walking part of the Camino, hanging out with loved ones, spending time outdoors, reading, writing, learning new things, working out to my heart’s content, doing yoga. It’s been simply wonderful. The best part? Time didn’t fly by. Each day unfolded slowly. That was one of my fears: that it would all fly by. But, it didn’t happen. I’m so grateful to have had this time off. It’s done me a ton of good.
Book inspiration
I decided to stretch the good times right up until the very last day. This included seeing some friends I hadn’t seen in a while and catching up with their lives. One of these women was telling me that her favourite book, the one she has read countless times is A Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I have that book. Reading it in my 30s helped me tremendously. I was going though a lot of hard things: my mom was dying, I had 3 young kids, money was tight. Reading that book lifted my spirts.
So, I went through my bookshelf and found the book. As I started to re-read, I remembered why I loved this book. It put into words what I was feeling. It made me feel like my thoughts were not out of the ordinary. At that time in my life, I was craving some solitude. Between taking care of three rambunctious kids, working, and trying to help my mom navigate the healthcare system, there was no time for me. Ever. And I started to feel resentful. Reading the book made me realize how important it was to carve out time for myself, even if it was a few minutes each day.
A soul date
As I started to re-read the book, an idea came to me. Why not plan a special “me” day? And that’s just what I did. I decided to have a date with myself before I went back to work. I’d received an invitation from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. They had a special members only preview of the new Chagall exhibit. Perfect! I love going to the museum and even more so when I can go at my own pace. I decided to make a day of it. I’d take the train into town. I didn’t want to battle Montreal traffic. As much as I love this city, the traffic and construction are out of control! There are road closures, detours and potholes everywhere you turn. I didn’t want to deal with these nasty issues, so the train was the perfect alternative.
I took the book with me so I could read on the train. Instead, I spent the ride looking out the window and enjoying the view. This is something new for me: just enjoying the view! I don’t need to be busy every waking hour. This is something I need to remember this in the days ahead. I don’t need to react to everything. The walk up to the museum was great. Montreal really is a beautiful city. I didn’t even want to take pictures. I decided to just enjoy the moment.
Museum time
The Chagall exhibit was stunning. Not only a visual feast, but also an auditory one. They had music playing throughout the exhibit. There’s something so soothing about art. It just takes me away to a different place. I don’t know enough about art to critique it. All I know is that I feel so good when I visit a museum or gallery. I took my time as I strolled through the displays. Chagall was a multi-talented artist. Not only did he paint, but he also created sculptures and even did costumes for some famous ballets.
After meandering through the exhibit, I decided to have lunch in the museum restaurant. This is where I encountered some bizarre attitudes about solo diners. I asked for a table for one and was told that solo diners would be seated at the bar. I nicely asked why that was and the hostess attempted some feeble explanation about needing tables for groups of two or more. “That’s not fair to solo diners,” I pointed out. At this point, she offered to seat me at a table. Yes, please! The waiter was really sweet and offered me a copy of the museum magazine. It was so much fun to sit there and enjoy a nice meal.
After lunch, I wandered through the new Peace pavilion. What a stunning display. It’s mostly modern stuff. They had some of the big names in modern art: Monet, Picasso, Dali, Rodin, Warhol. Some beautiful pieces. The afternoon ended with a stroll back to the train station and a relaxing ride home. I’m so glad I took a day to myself. It’s something that I intend to do again. It does me a lot of good to spend time alone. It allows me to do things on my own timetable and to reset, in a way.
Back to reality
So, now it’s back to the grind. I can’t say I’m looking forward to not having my days to myself. To doing what I need to do, when I choose to do it. This time off has given me a newfound appreciation for quiet times. I read so many books. I don’t remember the last time I read this much. I’d forgotten how much I love to read.
I’m also going to miss my sweet little pup. I love hanging out with her and walking her. But, I’m so happy I had this time off. It really did me a lot of good. And it’s shown me that I will not be bored in retirement. Au contraire. I had fun and was never bored. I also learned new things and can’t wait to do it again.
