Monday, July 25, 2011

the first day

This morning I got up before the girls, and rushed to dress and wash my face before any demands were made of me.
I managed to eat breakfast at the same time as feeding them, got Frieda off to school, some ducks in a row for Stella's morning with her nanny, my laptop etc packed, mascara applied and left the house at 09h05 looking mostly presentable and sort of real-worldy.

I got into my car and drove exactly two and a half blocks to my brother's house, where I set up my laptop on his dining room table and, for three hours, wrote.

None of this sounds vaguely exceptional. But for me it was profoundly so.

Today I executed a plan I hatched back in January. Today I took the first step in overcoming extreme threshold anxiety. Today I hope to remember as the day I became a writer.

Or maybe today should just be remembered for that exceptional rainbow this morning, or for the cold and blustery walk in Kirstenbosch the girls and I took together this afternoon, all three of us walking. Or for how Stella roared at some American tourists and Frieda made us stop so she could breast-feed her doll on a bench.
Maybe I'll just remember today as the first day that Stella grabbed her spoon from me and ate an entire bowl of pasta on her own while I did. something. else.

Maybe today should pass unmarked, and not singled out for glory, but in my mind I feel a switch clicked today. I just hope it was turning the light on.

7 comments:

DB Stewart said...

Here's to the lights on!

Possum said...

Twinkling fairy lights for a fabulous sounding day!

Unknown said...

You had me at the end of the first paragraph - that's enough to constitute a great day in my book ;-)Hope those lights continue to burn brightly!

spudballoo said...

Oh! How fabulous...have I missed something, what are you writing? Tell me it's a book, pleaaaase. I love your writing xx

krista said...

i haven't had one of those days in a long long time. but i'm borrowing from the taste of yours. it's good enough. :-)

Molly said...

Thanks for all the encouragement - putting this out there on the blog was a bit like telling everyone you're quitting smoking - I'm hoping it'll goad me on!

julochka said...

what a fabulous first day. i want one too, please.