For the most part, I hate surprises. It makes sense given that I’m an anxious perfectionist who likes preparation and control. Steve knows this, which is why I was surprised when he decided to surprise me with a weekend getaway with my best friend from college. This might be the one surprise that immediately brought me immense joy and excitement. We both knew I desperately needed a reset.
I also needed to celebrate. I wanted to celebrate my officially being done with breastfeeding, my surviving Bub’s first year in school, and my first time being away as a mom of two.
It was a glorious weekend with a dear friend who has known me since I was in my teens. Eating delicious food, walking around Chicago on an absolutely gorgeous Saturday, and having soulful conversations. We made memories I want to relive over and over again in my head.
Throughout the weekend, a theme continued to pop up. I kept taking turns that I initially thought were wrong but were ultimately the right ones to take. Taking a wrong turn out of my own neighborhood when I left to pick her up from the airport, my Google Maps losing reception while in the trenches of Lower Wacker Drive, missing an exit on my way home – they all felt like mistakes at the time. Mistakes I immediately beat myself up about out of habit.
But. The wrong turn out of my own neighborhood ended up getting me to the airport at the exact time she was walking out. My Google Maps losing reception forced me to trust my gut and lead us out of the belly of the beast. Missing my exit led me down the scenic route – one that I’ve always wondered about but never took the time to take.
Wrong turns aren’t really wrong turns. They’re where we’re supposed to be and we just don’t know it at the time. There are no mistakes in life, only learnings.
48 hours away from the mental load of being a mother, a wife, a worker. I was reminded that I am more than these labels. I am more than my right and wrong turns. This weekend, I took a breath. I reset, caught up and now, I feel whole again. I finally feel like my life is headed in the right direction.
