Alone at Last

This morning I found myself in a strange and unfamiliar situation … alone. Miles went back to school today and C. started his new job. He was off for 2 weeks over the holidays, which was great and unexpected. We went from seeing him maybe an hour a day to having him around all the time. Miles was thrilled to have unlimited Daddy time, and I was glad to have some backup, especially now that my belly is bigger than a VW Bug. Kinda makes it hard to wrestle a toddler into the bathtub, you know?

Although it did take me some time to adjust. At first, I’d come downstairs in the morning (after sleeping in a blissful extra half-hour) to find the guys still in their PJs, watching TV, and eating cereal out of the box. And I was all, “The routine!! You’re messing up the routine! Don’t you know he’s got to be dressed by 8:15 and he needs to eat some breakfast with protein or the ENTIRE DAY will be SHOT to HELL?!” OK, maybe I wasn’t quite that bad. But what can I say, I’m used to parenting on my own.

Then once I got used to having a co-parent around, I couldn’t imagine it any other way. I went to the gym! Took naps! Ate sitting down! Went to the bathroom by myself! Showered regularly! It was heaven, I tell you. But now, sadly, it’s back to reality.

When I found myself alone this morning, I couldn’t even remember what I used to do. Oh, yeah—write. So here I am, updating my blog, returning e-mail, and reminding everyone about the next session of my 6-week online writing class, Personal Essays that Get Published, which begins Jan. 14.

Let me take a moment to brag about some former students. One got an essay included in an anthology, one got published on HybridMom.com, and another sold a piece to Southern Living. That’s the big leagues, people! My students are more successful than I am! Although I do have Big Writing News to share next month. But let’s not get ahead of myself…

Writing is one of those things that I love to do, yet I can very easily find reasons NOT to do it. For instance, I spent the last several weeks obsessing over home decorating decisions, sending out Christmas cards, arguing with online retailers over free shipping, and recycling the approximately 7 tons of cardboard and plastic that came into my house over the holidays.

Plus we had houseguests and parties and various other holiday activities to go to, and what was I going to say, “Sorry, I can’t come to your cookie exchange because I have to WRITE”? What am I, Hemingway or something? (BTW, Stephen King claims he writes 365 days a year. Of course, I guess you command a smidge more respect as a writer when you’re STEPHEN KING.)

And yet, I won’t allow myself to miss deadlines or disappoint blog readers (all 20 of you). I just can’t shirk that crushing responsibility; it’s who I am. So when I do finally find/make time to write after a break, I’m always newly surprised to find that I truly enjoy it and feel better after doing it. Kind of like going to the gym. Or cooking dinner that doesn’t come out of a box.

Anyway, here’s to finding time for what you love this year. Whether that’s hanging out with friends, writing, scrapbooking, rescuing Shar Peis, whatever. Bonus points if it allows you to be alone for whole hours at a time!

PLEA O’ THE WEEK: Please keep my friend S. in your thoughts. Her husband lost his job this week after 16 years with the same company. 3 kids, a mortgage, etc. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some GOOD news right about now.