For about 4 years, every Monday I used to go to pick up my Goddaughter, Miss Bea, from school. She was 8 when we started hanging out together on Mondays and we had a lot of fun together.
We loved cooking, making slime (!), walking the hounds, reading stories, doing her homework (I had to look up some of it as I got confused) together etc.
Never having been a Mum myself, it was a precious time and one I fiercely guarded!
During the near 2 year lockdown, Bea and I saw each other on Zoom or outside for tea but not much contact otherwise.
As you know it was the strangest time when what was ‘normal’ just wasn’t possible anymore.
This week Bea came to stay for a sleepover.
Oh my goodness, I had some catching up to do!
Bea is now so ‘grown up’ at 14 years old.
- going to the stables by herself
- catching the train home on her own
- chopping vegetables and prepping supper
- being in charge of the hounds
Just a few things she’d not done or been able to do when I was last hanging out with her.
I had to adjust very quickly or risk being ‘fusty old Godmother‘ rather than Fairy Godmother as she calls me.
It’s interesting when you are out of contact for a while and then ‘boom’ you’re in touch again with someone.
They – and you – have changed, things have moved on or moved forward around them and we must be aware not to leave people in a time-warp.
When 2 colleagues from my Willis days approached me to go and work with them at a rival insurance broking house, they had a bit of a shock.
They’d left 2 years before and “Good old Kay” who used to sweep up all their administrative hits and misses and laugh along with a lot of their hmm, let’s say BS, wasn’t the same anymore.
I’d been promoted to Director, had a company car and salary to match and much more of an edge…
The catching up we did meant I wasn’t a fit for the role they had in mind and that was just fine with me.
So. My message today is to to remind us both that the evolution you’re having is mirrored by those around you, even if you’re not noticing it.
In other news…
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We’ve been taking it easy. Being quiet and enjoying hanging out with our hounds in our new home. It’s 4 months this weekend since we moved in and so many things have shifted around us and for us. Hounds taking it easy and adjusting too!