“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth”
I’m pretty impressed with myself that ive joined the lovely Donna from What the Redhead Said linkie again. I love the concept and I can’t wait to share my posts each week, its certainly become a key part of my blogging routine. This week for me its all about embracing the ordinary moments. I work full time so sometimes I feel pressure that when I’m with the kids ive to take them to play centres, to activities to all these perceived exciting (and often expensive) activities. But really its not like that. This week we walked to a lovely park near where we lived, we got coffee and treats in the shop and we quite literally sat and watched the world go by. The gentle fall of the Liffey as it cascaded down the weir was just so lovely. The kids enjoyed their picnic and mama enjoyed her coffee. Pure bliss.
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Later in the week we stopped by for another picnic this time in the much bigger Phoenix Park in Dublin it was really busy but such a wonderful space to have in the City Centre. Totally unexpectedly we ended up feeding deer (under the guidance of the park wardens). It was just magical. They are such beautiful magical animals, really docile. Almost exactly what I had expected them to be like. If you asked my kids right now what was their favourite activity to do they will most likely say go for a picnic. Its simple, its inexpensive and when I’m there I’m totally present and if I’m honest I think that’s its partly why they love it.
Feeding Deer
Us parents can feel awful albeit unnecessary pressure to keep the kids entertained with all these high octane activities, that’s not reality, that’s not what life is about. Of course all those things are enjoyable too but sometimes its just nice to find joy in those ordinary moments. I still remember growing up rolling down the hill known to most Dubliners as the Popes cross in the Phoenix Park. I remember picnics at the beach in Donegal with my parents and siblings. I remember getting soaked having races on the beach in Donegal. I was on lunch one day in a restaurant during work and I saw a quote which I’m reminded of now “Joy comes to us in the ordinary moments, we risk missing out when we get too busy chasing the extraordinary”. I don’t know who said or wrote it but its quite apt for the world we live in today.
3 Comments
It sounds like you’ve had a lovely week – it’s so true though, I always feel like I should be ‘doing’ something exciting with my boys when in reality they’re very happy with a trip to the park and if they’re lucky the ice cream van might be there! #LivingArrows
So so true. It really is the ordinary moments that are the most special and the most important. A picnic sounds lovely and you are right it is when we are most present that our kids seem to have more fun – and us too! x #LivingArrows
It can be so easy to get caught up in the cycle of work and home and I’m determined to enjoy every minute with the boys. We are looking up our next picnic spot at the moment x