Today I had the awesome privilege of reuniting with an old friend.
As I know many of you can relate, having a new baby makes it extremely difficult to maintain relationships. Shortly after becoming a mama, things move into overdrive with days and weeks blurring into a deliciously abstract rendering of your former life. Before you know it, it’s been months since you truly connected, sometimes even with those you treasure most.
Today out of nowhere, I found myself with unexpected time before me. I wasn’t sure exactly how long I had to enjoy, so I knew I needed to make every minute count. Many possibilities of what to do flooded my mind, but ultimately I decided to invest in a relationship that has gone by the wayside since William arrived on the scene. Before he was born, this friend and I used to get together at least a few times a week. Toward the end of my pregnancy, we were having dates daily and I absolutely treasured those times. I always emerged from our time together feeling renewed, refreshed, and with an overall improved outlook on life. The more I thought about this friend’s impact on my life, the more I became convinced that we had to reconnect. I may have only had 10 or 15 minutes to spare, but whatever I had would be worth it.
Once the decision was made, I couldn’t wait to see her. I became almost giddy in anticipation, but knew I had to stay calm, lest I ruin the short amount of time we had together. Without hesitation, I hurried to the couch, snuggled down deep into the cushions and ushered in my old friend…the afternoon nap. Oh sweet mercy. Initially my body and mind were in stunned disbelief. It had been so long since I attempted a nap that I was clearly out of practice. “Really? Really???” my tired eyes fluttered. “This can’t be happening,” my brain buzzed. Oh but it was…it WAS. Football was on TV, the Sunday sun was streaming through the windows, and before I knew it, my old friend had wrapped her arms around me and carried me off to dreamland. Absolute bliss.
I wish I could adequately capture the magic of this incredible and long-awaited reunion. I am quite convinced that I slept the entire time with a goofy smile on my face. There were no dreams, no alarming wake ups, just perfect contented rest. I savored every scrumptious minute we had together and just like I remembered, when I awoke I found myself renewed, refreshed, and ready to take on the world. What a difference a nap makes. Thanks old friend…hope to see you again soon.
