Ever so often I like to confess some of my quirks brought on by motherhood. I only confess to a room full of other parents — as long as there is no judgment. Let me paint a picture for you. It’s 8 in the evening. I’ve worked 8 hours in a school full of teenagers, only to come home, cook dinner, give baths, help with homework and read numerous bedtime stories. As soon as 8 o’clock comes and all the kids are in their beds (of course they’re not sleep yet) I go and take refuge – just so I can get a moment of silence before I have to get some work done.
I don’t go and take a long soak or get a glass of wine. Instead, I hide in my walk-in closet to get a moment of silence.
That’s right — me a mother of three and wife to one hides in her closet to get a moment of peace. Once I walk in and close the door all of my worries, frustrations and seem to disappear. I no longer hear my name called 20 times for something as little as there’s no more ketchup in the house, I am no longer upset because my boss ticked me off. Everything gets left on the floor.
When I first started to use my closet as a refuge, I did nothing but sit in the closet with nothing else going on. I needed that absolute silence, but gradually I started to use this time to do some things that I like to do. I read fashion magazine, blogs, books while secluded from everyone else in my house. Other times I paint my nails, write down goals for the week or listen to music with my eyes closed.
It doesn’t matter what I do as long as there is no noise or problems in the closet. When my kids were babies I would go into the closet daily. sometimes twice a day! Now that they’re a little bit older I only go a couple of times a week, but every time I enter it feels like a million pounds are lifted off my shoulders. Over the years my closet location may have moved with houses but my sense of peace has never departed me. Despite the changes, my husband knows not to disturb me once I shut the door and my kids are curious about what I actually do in the closet.
I know my family thinks I’m crazy but that’s okay. It’s okay that sometimes I go inside the closet and cry or life. That’s my space of peace away form being a mom and wife.
My Mommy Noire family where do you go for peace?
Words By: Franchesca Lane-Warren
Thinkstock
