Do, and be, what you love

RelocationJunkie

by RelocationJunkie

Story

As I wake up on this Sunday morning, I have a thought running through my mind on how I ended up where I am today.

I promised you all in my first story, that I’d let you join my explorations on this, so here we are!

Contemplating this topic over the last few days, a recurring theme has popped up in my mind. It’s been focused around “doing, and being, what we love”.

Hmm…

Growing up, my mother often encouraged me to try new things. Yet, she only ever made me stick with things I said I really loved and that made me feel good.

A good example, I remember, is when she sent me to riding camp in Germany one time. We lived in Switzerland at the time and this place was just across the border near Stuttgart, I believe.

She drove 3 hours to drop me off. I was so super excited to be going. I absolutely loved horse riding!

Arriving at the camp, there weren’t many people there. However, I distinctly remember there being 2 girls in my dorm room.

They had already formed a little clique and it was clear, from the start, that I was the odd one out. The new target for their teasing. I did not like that at all.

I went to the riding class, I went to lunch, but somehow this place just felt off. I don’t know why, but I just didn’t feel comfortable.

So, later that afternoon, I called my mom in tears.

“Mom, can you please pick me up? I don’t like it here. I don’t like the girls and I don’t think I fit in here. Please take me home.”

No questions asked, and around eight hours after I’d first arrived, we were both sitting back in the car driving home.

We were laughing and singing along to music. I was so relieved that I didn’t have to stay in that place.

My mom was just relieved that I was happy once again. It was really important to her that I be happy.

I think I was very fortunate in that way.

Many parents force their children to stick with activities they don’t like for the sake of teaching them “grit”, “perseverance” and “discipline”.

They make them eat foods they don’t like, or do sports they don’t enjoy because it’s “for their own good”. Making choices for them.

My mother, on the other hand, never really forced me to do anything.

The only thing she expected from me was to not sit around the house all day and give new experiences my best shot.

If I didn’t like something, she’d rarely question it too hard. Instead, she would say:

“Claudia, if you don’t want to continue doing X, because you don’t enjoy it, that’s fine. Just make sure to replace it with something you DO love doing.”

And so I tried many things.

Swimming, taekwondo, dancing, tennis, badminton, volleyball, unihockey, basketball, reading, writing, painting, knitting, sewing, crocheting, cooking, puzzles, crosswords, bungee-jumping, shark-diving, solo travel, couchsurfing… the list goes on and on.

Now, as I sit and think about it all, I feel immensely grateful.

For I truly believe that in giving me the freedom to try new things, my mom quite literally gave me the chance to explore “doing, and being, what I love”.

How about you? What’s your experience around this topic?

© RelocationJunkie 2020-10-11