Daily writing prompts

Never Be Afraid to Explore Your World

31 Comments

There is a whole wide world out there for us to explore.

I don’t necessarily mean we need to travel to the other side of the world to begin your exploration. I love finding local trails and parks to wander around, lost in thought. I love visiting local bars and discovering new musicians who are following their dreams despite whatever holds the rest of us back. I love strolling the beach, listening to the waves and watching the birds do what birds do, feeling part of something so much bigger than myself.

After my divorce I began exploring all that Florida has to offer. In the beginning I felt guilty when I started to truly enjoy my time without my kids. I thought that being happy without them somehow made me a bad mother. I feared that I was losing part of myself.

But I wasn’t.

Instead I’ve discovered more and more layers of myself. I encountered a multitude of ways to enjoy life that I never thought would be part of mine. I realized how much more there is to uncover.

I’ve learned that my girls benefit when I take care of myself. I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

I’ve learned that they understand how to fully engage in life. Because I am committed to living life to the fullest.

I’ve learned that my kids meet interesting people as I bring more people into my life who are living the kind of life I want to be living.

I’ve learned that they gain confidence in themselves as I gain confidence in myself.

I’ve learned that these girls learn from my example, that they will develop a love for exploring life, and that they will feel free to explore life because they see that I am doing so.

I did not lose a piece of myself when I stopped being singly focused on being the mother I thought I was. I gained more depth and learned more that I can share with them as they grow older. And I will continue to grow, as I continue to explore.

This post is in response to the daily writing prompt Explore

31 thoughts on “Never Be Afraid to Explore Your World”

  1. Such a valuable lesson… Maintaining yourself is key to being there for those you love and care for. And taking the time to explore the world around you and build new relationships is a great way to do that.

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. I used to love going for walks. I spend more time gardening now. It is lovely to go on walks with your children and help them appreciate nature

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      3. It is a long way to come just to do the gardening. Maybe I could just stay a week or two šŸ˜ˆšŸ˜‚šŸ™

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Lol but you’ll still work on the garden, right? šŸ˜‚ For the record…I’ve just walked from my friend’s beach condo to an incredible restaurant on the water with live music…And pizza. Does life get better?

        Like

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