Time Apart

Traveling with my mother is a great experience after so many years of long- distance living.

The one thing that I had been contemplating for months was how my child was going to handle his mother being away for so long. I had not been apart from him for more than 20 hours since his birth. What was this going to be like for a 3-1/2-year old?

What was it going to be like for me?

As the months passed and my departure date drew nearer, I had to wonder how I would keep balance for both of us. I began to meditate on flow and balance for us both. Each morning and each night.

There were moments when I missed him already and the tears would come. Several times, the same thing would happen to him, especially the week before my departure.

I explained how he would have to take care of things while I was gone. How I would come back and if, for some reason, I could not, how things would always be good and he would always be loved and taken care of. He was good with that. He just said that he would miss my hugs and kisses every day.

I prepared items for treasure hunts and packages for him to receive in the mail from me, with little gifts and most of all cool stamps for his collection. I wanted to do these little loving things to make sure he would keep having fun during my time away.

I spoke to him the first day my mother and I arrived in Italy. It was a video chat – so different these days – and the internet connection was good. He kept asking where I was and when I was coming home. The concept of time is so different at that innocent age. I told him that I would be home soon and to keep searching for fun things around the house as I was always there in spirit.

After that last chat, I will not be able to see or speak with him again for 12 days. That sounds and feels like a long time, but I will hold the space of joyful times until we are able to reconnect again.

Thank goodness for meditation and yoga!

[tags]travel with my mother, mother and daughter, good time with my mom, travel to Italy, video chat[/tags]