Member-only story
Do I seem lazy?
Do I have a job even though I don’t get paid?
Can I turn off the noise in my head when I hear people make comments about my time?
Do they see a mom?
Do they see my hopes and dreams to write and make a difference in other peoples lives?
Do they see me making the best of what I have?
Do they see me enjoying my time on the earth with my family?
Can they put away their expectations of what a person should be today?
What if I am not fully connected to the world at every moment?
This morning I went for a walk with my son. There was a community fair in our town. It was just over a mile away and I wanted to take advantage of our day off and get a little exercise walking instead of driving a mile and then coming home to see him on his tablet for a few more than the recommended number of hours.
I didn’t anticipate running into people that I would know. I didn’t think about how long we might linger. I didn’t think that my son and I would enjoy our walk and move at a pace that allowed us to do even more than smell the flowers.
I left my phone at home and had a great time with my child for two hours and it was the best thing that I did today.
Until I got home and realized someone was looking for me.
Julie Moreno is a chef and writer, now trying to get more people to cook their own food and understand where it comes from. She lives in the middle of California, where she’s learning to landscape with fruits and vegetables. Find her blog at The Wooden Cutting Board and Facebook @thewoodencuttingboard
