HKT

I am becoming a hermit! Not the sort of person you find living in a cave somewhere in the foothills of the Himalayas, but more of a social recluse.

It has been three months since I walked away.

I cut the cords on projects that were taking more than they gave. They were noise. I wanted silence.

I thought empty time would stay empty. I imagined long mornings with books and old films. I was wrong. A vacuum always fills.

I wake before the sun now. I make breakfast. I pack lunches. I walk my son to school.

Then comes the cleaning. The laundry. The maintenance of a home.

Between the chores, I do a little work for my wife’s company. It fits in the cracks of the day.

The afternoon is a blur of school gates, homework, and cooking. By the time the house is quiet again, I am drained.

This is common work. It is what people do every day. But it is also the most important work I have ever done.

We have less money than we used to. We are happier.

The hardest part is protecting this new rhythm. The world still tries to get in.

People ask for small favours. They ask for time I no longer want to give. I am learning to be unavailable.

I am not hiding in a cave. I am just closing the door.

I am taking it one day at a time.

So there you have it, 2016 has been okay so far. I'm not looking too far ahead; that would be foolish. Just for now, I'm taking it one day at a time.