Adding . . .

Ever since I can remember I have had this funny habit of adding street addresses together when I see them. For example if a house number was 1326, it would be 1+3+2+6=12 in my head. I'm assuming some adult in my life told me to do this as a means to challenge my brain or perhaps just to keep me occupied. At any rate, it is something I always do. Or at least it is something I always USED to do . . .

Then today I was on a walk all by myself for about an hour and out of nowhere I caught myself adding the numbers again. At first I laughed that I had picked this silly little habit up again that I had not done for a few years and then I thought more about this. I realized that I had abandoned this little game at about the same time I started having to keep my brain preoccupied with the many needs of my children. Clearly the demands of motherhood had shoved this useless task right out the window as a means to make room for more important things like keeping my children out of the road or passing out graham crackers to help calm a crying toddler and so on . . .

I'm not sure I miss playing this simple game, but I did realize that I miss having the moments to clear my mind. Giving myself time to just wander in a direction it wants to without always having to answer to the latest fire that needs to be put out. I think I need more of this in my life. I really enjoyed it . . .