Every grazed knee told a story, until one day you stumbled in the playground and for the first time you didn't cry as the blood seeped from the cut. That was the first badge of honour, a real achievement on the road to being grown-up: learning some of life's knocks aren't worth shedding tears over.
Inside the classroom safety was taken more seriously, particularly if you started rocking backwards on your plastic chair. Grabbing hold of the deck, and balancing on the chair's two hind legs was satisfying, until your teacher caught you and would then spend the next half an hour lecturering you about the safety implications. Smacking your head on the floor, damaging your neck and risk of death (maybe it was just my teacher that took it to the fatal level), suddenly made a minute of wobbling seem a lot less desirable.
So why do I feel that I am still balancing on a couple of chair legs? I'm clinging on to the metaphorical desk in the hope that I can remain upright as we wobble around. The Hubby and I are craving stability, but it seems that we still have one chair leg up in the air.
When we were expecting we made plans. We knew where we wanted to be after the baby was born, and how I would spend maternity leave, but now that's not happening its brought into sharp focus just how transient everything our current life is.
We don't know where we want to put down roots: where we've lived for the past 5 years, or back nearer our parents. We rent and its frustrates us that we can't even make simple decisions like where to hang a picture. We want to get on the property ladder but can't afford the house prices where we are currently... So The Hubby's looking for a new job.
I feel that I should be grateful that I'm not being forced by time to make snap decisions, but now that we have more time I wonder whether we'll ever find a way out of our rut.
Growing up isn't quite the adventure I thought...
Great post :) and I can totally relate. My other half fell ill 2 years ago and he's still undergoing tests etc to actually diagnose what's wrong and where that would take us. That constant feeling of being in limbo and not being able to plan / look to the future for anything is often way too much, I regularly find myself thinking "THIS ISN'T WHAT I PLANNED FOR!!" Growing up can be rubbish, but in the mean time, keep writing - your blog is lovely :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your message - it's always lovely to hear that people like what you write!
DeleteI just find it absolutely amazing, that life can feel like it is on pause, but also simultaneously running away from you.
I really hope that we both find some stability and forward direction soon. :)