Back in my former life, when I had my Big Girl Corporate Job, I was taught that contentment was a
bad thing. Just being content wasn’t good enough. It meant that that you weren’t
really happy or excited or motivated. It meant you weren’t trying hard enough. Contentment was…
settling. And successful, happy people never settled.
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| "Hut, hut, HIKE!!!" |
I subscribed to that belief for a long time. But now I don’t
anymore.
Now, to me, contentment means… Peace. Fulfillment. Happiness. Total satisfaction.
The contentment I have at this moment doesn’t feel at all like settling or not
trying hard. Quite the opposite. It feels like the much sought-after reward for
trying really hard for a long time. I’ll take this contentment every day of the week and
twice on Sunday.
Hubs came from his second of many planned business trips last Thursday.
Quinn woke up from his nap that afternoon, after not seeing his Daddy for seven long days, and exclaimed “Daddy home from bi-ness trip!” He was elated.
Both of them were.
The three of us had a lot of family time this weekend,
enjoying being together before Hubs has to leave again. With Hubs being home, I
was able to go to the gym every day. On Sunday, Q and Daddy watched football
together, and Daddy taught Q to hike the ball between his legs. Now Q runs
excitedly around the room yelling “Hut, Hut, HIKE!!” and throwing his little
foam football around.
We watched as the 49’ers
sealed the deal and made it to the Super Bowl. We’re definitely rooting
for the Niners in this house, no question. But since the Giants are the reigning World Series champions,
I worry that a Niners Super Bowl win will raise the collective arrogance of the
San Francisco Bay Area to an unbearable level. We may have to move.
On Sunday night, three other couples came over for dinner. Eight
adults and one entertaining toddler had a fabulous evening together, talking,
laughing, sipping wine and catching up. Quinn hammed it up and reveled in being
the center of attention (as if that were something new). Hugs and
congratulations were passed around after one of the couples announced their pregnancy,
thus explaining why they didn’t partake in the wine sipping. We couldn’t be
happier for them.
Hubs had Monday off of work, so he and Q spent the day
together while I observed MLK’s birthday with a Mommy Relaxation Day. I got up early and went to the
gym. Then after getting Q up and feeding him breakfast, I kissed my boys good-bye
for the day. I headed to the spa where I received a glorious massage and steam
shower. By the time I emerged, the day had warmed up to over 70°F, a drastic change from the 35°F I experienced early that
morning. I decided to take advantage of the unusually warm weather and headed back to the beach to spend the
rest of my day off.
I ate lunch at the same restaurant I went to during my last Mommy Relaxation Day (last
July). I sat at my small table for one by the wooden railing looking out at the
ocean and squinting in the sun. Some friends and I decided to start a mini book
club, so I popped open our first book of choice as I nibbled on my seafood melt
and sipped my favorite chardonnay.
For the first time in forever, I got lost in a book. Not a
parenting book. Not a humorous account of one woman’s adventures in motherhood.
Not a collection of short vignettes broken up into manageable bits that I can easily
put aside for weeks at a time. But an actual novel, a spellbinding work of
delicious fiction that I couldn’t put down.
I made that glass of chardonnay last a loooooong time.
Finally, the brutal sun and my lack of sunscreen forced me to pay the tab,
close the book and relocate to the sand. There, I could at least face the other
way instead of just burning one side of my face.
A local friend whom I hadn’t seen in eons – and who is lucky
enough to live in that gorgeous little beach town – discovered me there via my Facebook status. She joined me
on the sand for a bit, and we got all caught up on each other’s lives. My impromptu
party of one became an impromptu party of two, which is always a welcome
surprise.
After all that family time, friend time, alone time, gym
time, spa time, sun time and book time… I’m recharged. My body and soul feel
nourished, and I am content. How
could one ever think this is a bad thing?
