On our bike ride yesterday A found some of the hills a bit challenging. Well, actually that’s a massive understatement. She found them torturous and ensured that we all knew it. I was in a fairly “patient mum” mood yesterday so I tried to cajole her and encourage her to keep going, saying things like ” smile and it won’t seem so hard” and “remember how good it feels when you are whizzing down the other side of the hill” and “look up and see the view, instead of looking at the ground”. God, I’m annoying.
This morning when I woke up from a terrible night’s sleep (too big a roast dinner, totally self-induced, no sympathy required) at 6 a.m. when K got up for work, I lay in bed feeling pretty fed up and miserable that it was Monday again. So soon! How? Not fair. etc etc. I forced myself to get up and got T sorted out for school. Then got myself showered and A ready for school. Mundane Monday. Bah humbug. But, A was in good spirits as she was wearing her new summer dress (that I had not intended to buy her this year but she looks so lovely I am very glad I did) so by the time we reached school I had shaken off some of my gloom.
On my way back I decided to take my own advice and “look up and see the view”. I walked the long way home, through our old road and round through to the park behind our house. Our village is so pretty in the spring. We have some lovely old houses with beautiful trees and gardens. The park (mostly just a mowed field with a small play area) is perfect for a good shoe-wetting walk through with gorgeous views up to the farms on the other side of the A5 and it has trees full of blossom and birds singing. I came home feeling much brighter and ready to start the day.
Looking up is great.
The diary of a happiness hunter 