When the House Is Quiet

What is rest?

I wish I could tell you I’ve been, and plan to be, on the couch.  Remote in one hand and something sparkling in the other.  And listen.  No judgement if that’s your version.  But that’s not me.  If you have been on this journey with me, you have come to know.  For those new here, first off “welcome!”

I come from a long line of women who do not live life doing nothing.  It’s generational.  It’s in the blood.  The difference now is that everything I’m busy doing?  It’s all the way mine.

This is Day 3

The kids are gone and the calendar has no after-school anything on it.  There are no appointments to rush to.  No practices.  No “Mommy, can I have a snack and what are we eating” before they have fully entered the house.  Just…space.  Open, quiet, slightly disorienting space.

I made the kids clean and purge before they left.  I’m doing some organizing and tidying myself.  Nothing frantic.  Just slow.  Organizing all the school year artwork in a safe-keep.  Clearing the clutter and enjoying that before the fall year brings it right back.

I’ve been writing.  Creating.  Doing the brand work that usually lives in the margins of my day.   Squeezed in between drop-offs and practices and all the invisible labor that mothers carry without ever being asked if they’re tired.  I’m not complaining.  I love my life.  But I will tell you that writing a full paragraph, filming content, even running errands, without being interrupted or having time constraints hits differently when that time/responsibility does not exist.

My body is getting a break from Taekwondo.  And if you train, you already know.  Rest is not the opposite of discipline.  Rest is discipline.  My bones and muscles welcome the break.  The choice right now, stillness.  Gratefully.

I’ve been helping Uncle Carl get the RV ready.  And yes, there is a story coming with that.  Not today, but soon.

And this weekend?  I might actually go out.  Like, out out.  My best friend always has something great going on at a comedy spot and I have been holding every excuse known to motherhood.  After being the kid’s chauffeur, tutor, sparring partner, coach, chef, counselor, etc. I just want a cup of tea, a shower, and a bed.

The kids are the best excuse in the world, if I’m being honest.  But they’re not here.  So the excuse is gone.  So maybe I’ll venture out and laugh with other adults who also came looking for a good time.

Here’s what I’m learning about what happens when the house is quiet:

The busyness doesn’t stop.  It just shifts. It stops being about logistics and starts being about living.  When there’s no one else’s schedule to hold, you find out real fast what you actually want to do with a day.

Turns out, I want to write.  I want to create and have fun.  I want a clean organized space and a body that’s resting on purpose.  There is the want to learn something new and help someone I love with something that matters.  I want to laugh until my stomach hurts and enjoy ME.

No guilt.  No shame.  Just me, being fully and selfishly human for a little while.

BTW: “Rest is anything that connects your mind and body.” – Tricia Hersey

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook — I’ll be posting over there too, especially as the summer picks up.  There’s a lot coming.  You’ll want to be there for it. 

Other Post You May Enjoy:

Reclaiming Rest: Why Black Women Deserve to Prioritize Peace

Taekwondo & Yoga for Strength: Back to the Mat and Reclaiming Stillness

Simple Winter Wellness Routines for Busy Moms