Time is flying by for our columnist, who can’t believe it’s almost April and has been trying to find ways to be more present every day
• I WAS stopped in my tracks when pouring some milk the other day. Not for the usual reason – someone putting the carton back in the fridge with just the tiniest drop left because they were too lazy to rinse and recycle – but because the best before date on the lid said ‘April 1st’. An early April Fool’s Day joke surely? How could we be in that time zone already? I know, every other week, I’m going on about how quickly time is passing, but doesn’t it seem like we’ve accelerated up another gear of late? St Brigid’s Day feels just like last week, St Patrick’s Day was yesterday...wasn’t it?
Is the time really changing this Sunday? (also weren’t we supposed to have scrapped that idea by now, and remind me again, are we going forwards or backwards?) We also have to celebrate Mother’s Day (a makey-uppy day, but sure if you can get a cuppa in bed, go along with it), and then it’s Easter and sure the school year is all but wrapped up after that. Jeepers.
• I’d love to press pause, get all my bits and pieces done, my life admin, laundry, maybe a pedicure and a nap, then press ‘play’ when I’m all done and I can resume, be fully present and available to live life in the here and now. It’s all a bit busy, but as my wise mum says, a time will come when things will slow down and I’ll miss it all. She’s right (as always), so let’s roll with it. There’ll be plenty of time for dusting in the years to come but I really should find time to hoover the car. Very soon.
• In a bid to be more ‘present’, I tried out a short morning meditation last Sunday (morning). I had already been up, sorted the dog, emptied various appliances, loaded others, the usual thing, and then I hopped back into bed and instead of having a quick scroll on the phone I said I’d try what was described as an ‘energising morning meditation’.
It was the usual thing: lie down in a comfortable position, become aware of the breath (I did my best while trying to ignore the dog’s barking and then the silence which was more worrying), shift attention to the face, the mouth, and here’s where I ran into bother, the gums.
Now, I don’t know why the serene-sounding guru had to mention the gums at all, but straight away my brain was reminded of my receding gums, and if I could afford a gum transplant (and if that would involve my gums or someone else’s gums, because I wouldn’t be hugely keen on it if it was someone else’s); then I started thinking about flossing and how I needed to get better at it, and in fact how the whole family needs to up their flossing game and how I’d have to remember to say it to them later.
When I came around, we were supposed to be focussing on our eyes and then our lashes but sure that only reminded me that I had forgotten to apply this miracle lash serum that actually works so I figured I’d be better off just getting up and doing that. Which I did. Besides the dishwasher beeping was very distracting. I’ll try again next Sunday.
Should phones be banned for under 16s? (Photo: Shutterstock)
• The whole world is talking about the Netflix series ‘Adolescence’ and people with far better brains than mine have given their insights into the drama about a 13-year-old boy who is accused of stabbing a girl. Whether you’re a parent of teenage boys or not, it’s definitely worth watching, and it’s put the conversation about banning smart phones in schools and the digital age of consent back into the spotlight.
My very simplistic way of looking at the debate is that we should get the legislation in place to push the digital age out to at least 16, which would automatically take the decision away from individuals.
I should add that I’m in that very comfortable place of having a child who is still years away from expecting a phone so of course I’m can afford to be cocky and probably completely naive. I’m just hoping ‘Adolescence’ will propel people past the talking stage and towards action, so that there’ll be some new norms when the smartphone nagging starts around here.
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are back on earth, after a nine-day trip turned into one of nine months. (Photo: Nasa)
• Speaking of Netflix, I’m only waiting for an announcement that there’ll be a documentary landing (sorry) soon on the two astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. I know it’s relatively old news now, but I was just blown away by their story.
Imagine if you thought you were going away for nine days, and that turned into nine months? I mean, what if you didn’t bring your tweezers? I don’t leave home without mine, but that aside, I just have so many questions I’d love to put to them including if they ever want to be in the same spaceship as each other again. Here’s hoping it’s already in the pipeline.
• Anyway, this week’s Billy update: he’s practically reared. He knows the run of the place, survived his first shock from the electric fence, accidentally devoured some chicken and nearly lost his mind with ecstasy, and is meeting all his
milestones!
He was meant to be banned from the TV room but he edged closer every night and his favourite spot is now on the rug in front of the stove; he finishes the room off perfectly.
I’m also getting better at remembering the poo bags when we leave the house (it’s now ‘phone, keys, wallet, poo bags’ before we set off) but I’ll never be one of those dog owners who happily walks along swinging a bag of turd without a care in the world. Never understood that.
The new kitchen chairs are still in the spare room too for anyone interested and some new shrubs that I got on an outing to a garden centre remain unplanted. I’d love to blame Billy and his love of digging, but that’s all on me. I love the buying part, but am the queen of procrastination when it comes to the actual planting.
But I’d better get going, sure at the rate the weeks are flying by, it will be autumn before we know it. Right after another try at the meditation!
