SIMPLIFY
Living Simply… Simply Living
Once upon a time my life was not simple.
Once upon a time my life had to be BUSY with BIG things; exciting and splashy and showy things.
Once upon I time I did not believe I would find my Prince Charming in the simple way that I did.
I thought things had to be splashy and, well staged. Planned down to detail and executed with precision.
Courting had to be a major series of ‘Romantic Auditions’… if they were attracted to me, or me to them, then we would have to put out the effort … them impressing me with scintillating and imaginative dates; me (if I were interested in pursuing the relationship) reciprocating by trying to think of rare and unusual events, surprises; staging the spectacular… kind of like half time at Super Bowl. It was as though competing on The Apprentice, to see if each would ’qualify’ for the prime position in one another’s lives. I now think that we got so caught up in the detail of our adventures, that the very basics of who we were would take months and more to emerge. It could be forever before who we were on a day to day basis would come into the light of day. And then, shock of all shocks… we may not even really like each other all that much. We’d spent all that time creating fairytales and romantic comedy movies together, each oozing expectations and dissolving into disappointment when the other did not fit our script.
This time, for many reasons, there was none of that.
We’d known each other for 6 years and had talked… talked a lot.
Talked through each others ‘every-day’,
Talked through transitions, triumphs and tragedies.
When we did decide to meet it was just that, SIMPLY meeting.
No marching bands
No staged shows
No bathtubs with rose petals afloat
Not even candlelight and wine
Well, okay, there was also a tiny baby.
So it was SIMPLY meeting
Baby’s needs coming first
Spending days doing basic routines, chores, cleaning, shopping, caring for baby
Quiet evenings catching up
Squeezing out every spare moment of intimate alone time
To finally look into each others’ eyes
Touch one another’s hand
See smiles explode into laughter
Watch a furrow of brow when in deep thought
Savouring every single moment that belonged just to Us
and with this, such a feeling of deep, loving comfort
SIMPLY living
I knew that this person loved and enjoyed ME
Not the entertainment, excitement or thrill that I plan and create… just ME
This person loved and enjoyed the fuzzy groggy morning ME
The chatty chirping daytime ME
The quieted slowing afternoon ME
The laid back evening ME
Loved me in jeans and boots, momwear…
Just as well as a cocktail dress and pumps
Loved me at home over meatloaf
Just as well as at a 5 star waterfront restaurant at sunset
I got to know this for sure,
before the bells and whistles
Without the fanfare
Living Simply and Simply Living
We still live simply
Still squeeze out every possible moment of US time
Still savour every single one of our intimate moments
Now we’ve had a few opportunities to ‘traditionally date’
We’ve done some wonderful things
Yet, when we sit to share our ‘favourite’ memories
We always end up talking about the simple things
About when our date didn’t work out cuz baby did not want us to leave
So, instead of a 5 star restaurant romantic dinner, we ate at a family restaurant with our baby girl cooing at our table… and even there my love found ‘Little Balls’ for my dessert!
It is our mutually agreed most romantic date to this day.
I do not miss BUSY
I do not miss splashy and showy
I awaken each day grateful to be alive and have my beloved family
I have never lived so simply
I have never loved so simply
And have never known a richer, more satisfying life.