READING TIME: 2 min 38 sec

It’s the first time in a while that I decided to stay at home and not plan anything for August. I was “travelled out”. April and May were spent in Bali, then June in Spain, and July in the US and Canada. My body felt exhausted, out of sync, and out of place. My body was signalling that something was not working anymore, so I stayed home to rest and connect my body with my mind and spirit.

I started by letting go of things that are not serving me anymore. I have been actively working on being focused on the present, realising how precious and fragile the present moment is. I’m rethinking old habits and thought patterns, shedding those that don’t serve me anymore. I decided to recharge by forcing myself to be still instead of constantly travelling.

I decluttered my mind of thoughts and things that didn’t provide me and my family anything but happiness. If it felt like it was not good for me, I wouldn’t be doing it or giving it much thought.

I have also enjoyed a Mediterranean summer without having to leave the city. Let me romanticise it for a minute: Pancakes for breakfast, morning walks with birds chirping by. Cold soups and salads with fresh tomatoes, the post-lunch striking heat that creates a silence perfect for napping, occasionally broken by kids splashing and screaming in a distant pool. Slices of watermelon dripping from children’s mouths after a swim. A golden tint on everything caressed by the last rays of the sun. Evening walks to watch the display of watercolour pink and purple clouds over the mountains. Nights spent catching up with friends on a terrace over beers poured in a frozen pint.

However, there have been extended and scorching days where stillness was challenging. As soon as my heart grew impatient, I focused on the present. I occasionally felt the need to escape to the city. I needed it to cloud my brain with the noises from cars, people and the chaos that doesn’t let me think clearly. When caught inside your head, it’s easier to let ads and the people around you tell you what to dream about. But I fought the urges and stubbornly stayed present, turning the stillness of each day into quality time. I feel like this is the appropriate act of “recharging”. Being grounded in calmness, not going anywhere, looking up and listening at the ruffling of the leaves, the birds, and the aeroplanes with their ethereal whooshing sound. I kept the flow of thoughts from the ego at bay. Standing still, not judging, not wanting, nor feeling.

Growing up, I wouldn’t say I liked this place; there’s a stillness and emptiness that I can’t handle. I felt so lonely as a teenager, not having anyone to play with or be with; I dreaded summer. But now, I have someone who wants to play with me and be with me all the time. Now, I’m never alone, and that’s a challenge in itself. Even though some days I grow frustrated at the impossibility of being unable to do anything other than look after my child, I remember that this period will be over, too. Just like these long summer days end, the long days of dependency will also end.

Today, with the first cold wind, I can sense change, and even though I’ve been waiting for this moment, I already feel a hint of nostalgia, thinking that our routine will be drastically changed in September when the country comes out of its dormant state.