One year ago in May we were in Melbourne for my sister’s wedding. It was the trip that led us to move here, so this one year anniversary comes with a mixed bag of emotions. We’ve been in Australia seven months now, and it is familiar and strange all at once. Thank goodness for the fabulous weather. It’s a winter day today, bright sun is shining and a high of 15 degrees. I can survive bright winter days. I’m not even wearing a coat.
Here’s what I learned in May.
Ed Sheeran, in keeping with the theme of me discovering musicians years after everyone else does, I listened to Photograph for the first time in May. It’s my new favourite song.
Rest is the key to my sanity, you’ll be hearing more about this in the weeks to come, but for now I’ll say that the first few weekends in May were jammed with events, and I could feel myself wilting day after day. It wasn’t until we scheduled in a Sabbath for two weekends running that it hit me – again – I was not made to go, go, go. I need a hard stop, I need regular, refreshing rest. And rest is not the absence of things to do. Rest is the choice to set aside the things that need to be done, and it is so worth it.
Small changes work, some of the small changes continue to make a big impact on my day-to-day life, and I wrote about a few of them here (a new alarm clock, keeping my bedroom neat, and a simple meal plan).
Red sauce + meat does not work says MasterChef, Husband and I are obsessed with this Australian show, and several weeks ago a contestant cooked duck with a caramelised beetroot broth, which was bright red. Matt Preston remarked that the delicious sauce looked like blood and was quite unappetising to look at.
Thanks as always to those of you who subscribe (scroll down to do that), read, comment and share. I appreciate it so much. Now tell me, what did you learn in May?
6 thoughts on “what I learned in May”
I’ve still not really settled in Switzerland. Will I ever? who knows but being married to a swiss man and now with 2 beautiful boys it means I’m not going anywhere away from here in a hurry, at least not for now.
i lived in London before coming to switzerland. I had a little flat in West Kensington and had a very simple and easy life. I liked it there, I felt connected. At times I find myself feeling homesick here and especially miss the character of the people I used to rub shoulders with (inevitably I guess).
And so it was that, after having not returned for 6 years, I decided to go back to london for a couple of days, on my own. I happened upon one of the most beautiful weekends weather wise that you could ever imagine. weather makes a big difference to me with the brightness of a sunny day, no matter how cold, capable of lifting my spirits significantly.
What was London trying to tell me? showing me just what I was missing? Perhaps. visiting some of my favourite places made me feel nostalgic but i didn’t feel sad. Instead i found it quite liberating as I realised I’ve moved on and happily. the memories I have (and will always have) are from a life already lived. i can go where i like and do what i wish (within reason …) but london will always be there and I can always go back and visit. i think subconsciously i thought i would miss it even more if i put myself physically back into the same space.
But what I’ve learnt in may is that by moving TOWARDS something you’re trying in a way to move away from, can sometimes be the best way to move on. WE SHALL SEE …
I love this Alicia. It sounds like you’ve grown roots in Switzerland and have learned to love it there, but you didn’t fully realize it until you went back to what should feel like home (London).. What a blessing to feel so settled!
Hi, I spotted your photo on Emily’s link up and thought that you were a fellow hope writer so here I am! I love that you learned that rest is the key to sanity, I hear you and I definitely need to make more space for sabbath rest too. x
Hi Abi, it’s great to connect with you. Have a wonderful week.
Hey Devi! I saw you in the link up and had to stop by! (Mine is the one with the coffee cup called “May Mentionables”). Your posts always make me feel so peaceful. I can’t believe you’ve already been there 7 months! I’m glad that the sun shines in the winter. sounds like where we live now in Colorado and it makes such a HUGE difference in the the winter! Blessings on you, friend.
I need to start realizing that small changes really are valuable. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂