A life unhurried

Reverb'12 Question 3: What do you really wish for?

Cam from Curlytops prompts: Imagine a scenario where you only had one year left to live. What is one thing that you really wish to do that you just haven't had the chance to accomplish yet?

And Kat adds: what steps could you take (however small) to ensure that you accomplish this thing in 2013?

It is interesting that Cam uses this scenario. I have asked myself this question more than once in the last few months, to try and establish want it is that I really want from this life.

If I was, in fact ill, I would need to resist the urge to jump on the next plane and live out my days in rural France, Italy, Sweden, England or somewhere in the hills of Eastern Europe. It would be selfish to move so far away from my extended family. But could I resist putting my house on the market and moving to a beautiful old cottage on few acres? I don't think so. In fact, I know so. I need to be in an old house. I lived my entire childhood in an old house with high ceilings and vj's. The first house I bought was an old house, with high ceilings, vj's, polished floorboards and lots of light. While this new house where we live is wonderful, it has no character. Whenever I walk into an old house it is like getting a warm hug from a treasured friend.

In a heart beat I would move, to live my dream life.

When I first read this question, I was going to say: "All I wish for is a little farm." But here is the great thing about pondering a question that been asked by someone else. That's not it at all. (If you are interested, I've written about the perfect house here before.) But it's what we would do there that matters. Even if I was dying, this place would be where we would grow. A place to put down roots, both literally and figuratively. Home. Together, as a family, we would learn important life skills. We would learn through trial and error, about how to live a more sustainable life. And when I am gone, my children will have a place to call home. A place where they will remember building a tree house in the old jacaranda tree or planting outing out the orchard. They will go off and travel the world but one day they will want to return, to this place. Home. They will come back and wander through the birthday garden that they planted and when they sit down at the kitchen table they would remember it filled with cooling racks of freshly baked cookies.

I wish for a life unhurried. I wish for gentle moments to hear my children's voices. I wish to be a better role model.

Naturally, much of this can happen exactly where I am (now where have heard that before?!) and it is. Traditions have been made and passed on, so for now that will be enough. We will work on the things that we can take along with us through our lives. We will dream on, as our life continues to happen right here, but we will slow down, just a little, so to not miss to much of it.

Here are some small steps that I can take to help me accomplish my wishes:

1) First and foremost, I must get more organised. When I make a routine, I must stick to it. I am to adopt a 'just do it' attitude. For example, although I may be exhausted, it really only takes two minutes to do a quick sweep of the kitchen floor or wash that grimy baking tray in the sink. Because everyone knows that waking up to a clean kitchen, means a very happy mummy. As well as making routines that work, decluttering is high on the priority list for 2013.

2) Schedule in some 'me time'. It is hard to be a calm and happy mother when you have left no time in your life for yourself. I should know. By taking time to do something just for me, means I am a nicer person to be around.

3) Watch what I spend. I have recently started to save - yes save! This is something I haven't done in 8 years since finishing work. It's not much, it won't buy a little farm, but we might be able to take a holiday. We loved, our recent road trip, with all of us seeing and experiencing new things together. And this will help with Step 4.

4) Visit other places. Do I want to live somewhere else? If so where? What area most suits our needs, finances and wishes? Perhaps in the end, I will find this is the perfect area for us to live after all. But I need to know for certain. So more road trips it is.

What about you, what are you really wishing for?

And what are you doing to accomplish your goals?