Mini series part 1. The holiday feeling

You know that feeling when your on holiday and anything goes. You fancy the beach? Sure, we’re on holiday! You want an ice cream at 8 o clock at night? Why not, we’re on holiday! You want to go wild and step out of your comfort zone, sod it, your on holiday!!

The feeling of freedom, of spontaneity, that you can say yes and not worry about it. There’s no schedule, no time constraints, no pressure, no rush.

I think it’s one of my favourite feelings in the world.

Once, when i was on holiday, we spent a full day at the beach and then went to the fish n chip shop for dinner. We ordered food to go and took it to a random park opposite the chippy, where we sat on picnic benches, eating our chips and watching the sun setting. We ran around the park, laughing and playing and not caring that it was way past everyone’s bedtime or that everyone was still covered in sand from head to tow. An elderly couple were watching us smiling, and before they left the lady said to me “you look so happy” and i replied “it’s because i feel free”.

When you are on holiday you cannot stress about the housework, you don’t need to answer that email, the do list has to wait, the alarms get turned off. You can be on holiday just 30 minutes down the road and yet feel a million miles away from your normal life.

They say a change is as good as a rest. Holidays with four children are not relaxing by any means, i still have to parent, to soothe tears, make meals, pack bags, do bedtimes. But i always return home feeling refreshed, calmer, happier, more at peace. I’m still exhausted, but its a different type of exhaustion. Its not tiredness from the burdens of life, it’s tiredness from adventuring, from having full days of fun!

I wish there were more times in life where we could feel that holiday feeling. Where we could really turn off from the mental load and just live in the moment, choosing things we want to do, rather than things we feel we should do. Where we can unplug and truly feel free.