Appreciate the little things

It doesn’t take a lot to appreciate the little things in life, but you have to be aware enough to recognise the moment.

I took Littlie out for his first proper ‘outdoor walk’ this week.

I had initially planned to take him to the playground, but after 20 minutes in the sun on an unexpectedly sunny day I wanted to seek some shade, so I thought it was the perfect time to let him have his first outdoor stroll amongst the trees.

I figured he could handle it now that he rarely crawls; At 14 months he’s doing pretty well as far as mobility is concerned, but I seem to have early walkers in my family, so don’t worry yourself comparing!

To set the scene a little, I’ve had a lot going on this month. With summer holidays to fill, two half marathon events to train for, the start of a new school year, language courses, paperwork deadlines (dual citizenship with France and also chartered accountancy hoops to jump through), and a 14 month old who’s decided not to sleep all summer… I’ve got a lot on my mind.

It would have very been easy to play with my phone while he wandered around the park.

It would have been easy to lose patience with his pace and put him back in the buggy to head home.

Luckily, I was in a good frame of mind and I wanted to treasure this moment of his first outdoor freedom – and he didn’t disappoint:

He inspected funny-shaped leaves, he picked up twigs that for one reason or another interested him, he tried (and failed) to get closer to some magpies, stumbled many times, petted some dogs, and generally ambled around as he saw fit.

I saw the mundane through Littlie’s fascinated eyes and I was able to forget about my deadlines, my worries, my crammed schedule, and my to do list.

Towards the end, I reflected how lucky I was to be present in that moment. It reminded me that one person’s walk from the playground (which I do several times a week) is another’s treasure trove of interesting things to discover.

So remember parents that these moments are out there – there are more than you think – but you have to be present in the moment to recognise them.

So put down your phone, pause your worries, unfurrow your brow and smile! Maybe you’ll find one every day… it’s the little things that keep you going.