Enjoy the Ride

The countdown to 2015 has begun and it is a tradition at this season to start putting together the long list of resolutions that for some reason does not change much from year to year. Perhaps this is because I personally fail to achieve much of what I always enthusiastically start the year with.

As always, one of the things on my list is losing those three to four kilograms and getting rid of the belly fat that doesn’t want to go away ever since my pregnancy. Related to that is doing more sport and eating healthily. I have to say I’ve become more health conscious lately and I do check a few blogs regularly, waiting impatiently for the day when scientists discover that cheese and chocolate are wholesome foods and the answer to all ailments.  I also started doing a bit of sport now that the girls are in daycare two days a week.

Another thing that’s always on the list is paying more attention to my family and friends, trying harder to have regular contact. This is especially important as Giggles and Cuddles are growing and changing so fast, and I don’t want my family and close friends to miss out on their latest developments. With the huge advancements in technology, including smartphones, it has become so easy to share pictures and send a one-line message as one rushes through the day, just to stay in contact.

I would also like to enroll the girls in more and different activities. Swimming would be good and perhaps ballet as well. Girls look really cute in those pink ballet costumes, and I’m sure Giggles and Cuddles will be adorable. I’m also considering an arts and crafts class. Such activities are great, especially in winter when one can’t always do outdoor activities: they are a way to meet new people and for the girls to learn new things and perhaps start to develop their artistic skills.

Maybe a new thing on my list this year is to start planning how I’m going to go back to pursuing my career. The girls are now two and a half years old, they started going to daycare so I have a bit of time to myself to at least start thinking about what I want to do next before I get too lazy.

But hold on a minute, they’re two and a half already? When did all this happen? Soon enough they’ll be five and starting kindergarten and then seven and in school. Time does fly! Come to think of it, I can’t believe it’s 2015 already. I still remember how all our cupboards at home were stacked with candles and canned food as my mother and grandmother freaked out about Y2K.

The years just go by so fast. Maybe what one really needs to do is to slow down and enjoy the little ones. Cramming the week with activities might be too stressful as we rush to arrive on time in between mealtimes and naps. So maybe this year I should just choose one activity instead of all three and have more free time to do things spontaneously. We can always do crafts at home. Crafty Kids has fantastic ideas. And maybe those cute pink ballet costumes can wait another year or two.

I worked hard for 16 years before having the girls, travelled to amazing places, met fantastic people and learned so much. Perhaps my career can stay on hold for a couple years or more until the girls are settled in school and I won’t feel that I’m missing out on precious time with my little ones.

I guess this year my resolutions will be different after all. Instead of having a long list of things I would like to achieve, I will just try to slow down and focus on nurturing the important relationships I have, as this is what really enriches our lives and the lives of those around us. Instead of sending a one-line message to family members and friends just to stay in contact, I will try to make the time for a Skype call where we actually talk and listen to each other. At the end of the day it is not about the frequency of communication and just being in contact as much as it is about actually listening and being there for each other.

I will spend quality time with my girls, rather than rush through the day and be stressed as I struggle to fit everything in and stress them out in turn. With each passing day, they grow, change and become more independent.  There will come a time for everything. Their giggles and cuddles are so precious, and this is what I would really like to enjoy.

By Didi in Zurich

Didi is an Egyptian mother of twin girls living in Zurich. Before having the twins she worked in the field of Economic Development. She is currently a stay-at-home mom focused on the growth and development of her daughters.

Illustration by Laura Munteanu

Laura has studied Journalism and Advertising, and has been working as a journalist and an illustrator. She has been illustrating for magazines, websites, charity and different campaigns. She lives in Zurich with her husband and her six-year-old daughter.