Living out in the countryside, it can get quite lonely at times. Especially for a full-time mom whose husband is away for work most of the week. And although the cold has a nasty way of keeping us indoors, we make it a point to try to get out for at least an hour or two each day. The first step out the door is usually the hardest, but the time outside, no matter how short, seems to bring not just fresh air to breathe but refreshing thoughts too.

Today the preschooler had Spielgruppe (Playgroup) scheduled in town. So the baby and I had to walk him there. It’s about a 10minute walk for a normal adult, but about twice as long with a three-year old companion.

It was tempting to rush back home into the warmth after dropping him off but since the little one seemed comfortable in the stroller, we went for a short walk through small pedestrian roads around town.

And it’s during walks like these that I’m reminded of the good things we have going. Since a few months back Mr. M and I have been having some kind of chronic weekend affair for a marraige, because work is currently taking him to different places one week at a time, he is usually only home on the weekends. So it’s easy to find myself complaining about how hard it is and how life is currently on the low and how I feel alone a lot sacrificing my career-potential (what else was I supposed to do with all my degrees?) and how I wish things were different. But on walks like these, though short and familiar (and cold this time of year), a look around where we are, where we live, how peaceful and beautiful it is, is enough to help me remember how lucky we are to call this home.

Our time here is ticking, next year Mr. M gets re-assigned, we will be venturing to another town, another region of the country, where French is spoken (another language I must soon learn) but hopefully where our weekend affair will end. So on a walk like this, despite the cold, a look around helped me remember to be thankful, and to realize this too is not permanent and with everything in life, to try to make things worthwhile while they last.