The Joy of freedom

Something amazing happened today. 

 

I spontaneously decided after breakfast I would take my girls and walk around our new town. I didn’t have a particular place to go, and I didn’t have a time schedule. Imagine that? Of course there is always something to do, I just chose this path that will lead us to anything. As I packed up some snacks, and water. The usual questions from my girls about where we were headed, My response as genuine as ever “nowhere” I said with a smile.  Grace looked at me with skepticism and demandingly asked again “where we were going?”

I explained we were just going to walk into town and see where we end up. Her next question, as expected. For what? Tricky to explain to a 5 year old that were just going, not for anything, no real destination, no schedule. Simply just to see where we would end up.

 There seems to be a reason for everything in life, so this really took her for a loop. In fact several times along the way, I was asked are we there yet, what are we doing?

Having no plan for a child like Grace , who likes everything to be just right, is like putting your shoes on the wrong feet. Sure you can walk, it just doesn't feel right. Sophia and Victoria being younger and having more of a free spirited personality didn’t seem to mind that we had no plan. A clear symbol of their innocence, they were just as they have always been, right by my side without question.

We simply strolled.

It was Glorious.

It gave us a chance to chat and giggle and be silly, with no distractions. I had given them choices along the way, turn this way or that. Do you want to stop here or keep going, They seemed to enjoy being “in charge” . We weren’t looking for anything specific just getting to know what our new town has to offer. Quite a difference from the subdivion life close to big cities, we left no so long ago. We spent at least 5 hours, in and out of the small shops along Main Street. Stopped at a restaurant for lunch. I just enjoyed their chatter rather than telling them exhaustingly as I usually would to hurry up and eat.

It was probably just as we left the restaurant that it occurred to me, that in all the time we were out , they were not bickering or being mean to one another. They were smiles. True genuine smiles that came from just being happy.

I know that it is not realistic to do this every day, or even every week but . I would like to challenge myself, to let go of time more often, To take more of these strolls. Even if we don’t end up anyone spectacular.

Rather than finding a reason why we can’t, Experiencing the Joy of freedom will be the reason why we can.