At 37wks, I have made it as far as I can on the work front and finally wrapped up today. I took part in a maternity workshop at work back in July and one of the things that really stuck with me was "don't leave before you leave" which is basically a nice way of saying don't take the p*** in the run up to your maternity leave. I wanted to leave with everything as it should be.
My last week at work was not what I expected at all, it's been strange to say the least (more about that another time). I was going to finish-up tomorrow but decided last week that given it's my big sisters birthday, one of us deserves a lie-in and I've decided it should be me. So today was the day!
But today felt odd.
I can only explain it like this; it's like taking part in that show "The Amazing Race", where a couple race other competitive couples around the world to various far flung destinations they've never heard off and along the way they have to take part in various weird challenges, like eating reindeer testicles or crafting habitable igloos out of ice with nothing but their bare hands...basically couples don't have a cotton clue what might be thrown at them AND they have to maintain a united front and not kill each other in the process. The couples that make it over the finish line in good time get to wake up the next day and get to do it all over again...what fun (!!!).
This is what it feels like to go on maternity leave.
It's a break from the only reality I've ever known since I started working. And I use the word 'break' loosely. It's not a holiday. Nor is it a competitive race. It's a journey that Ryan and I are undertaking together, which will hopefully (fingers crossed) not include eating reindeer testicles or building igloos. But I'm sure we'll be faced with many challenges that will have us, taking a step back, cocking our heads to one side and looking on in absolute bewilderment.
I've never ever been off work for more than three weeks, there was that one time I had my wisdom teeth out which wasn't a picnic either but I think giving birth to a tiny human is going to be a touch more painful.
Saying goodbye to people today and yesterday was hard for lots of reasons but now our focus is as it should be.
And it's never really goodbye I believe...it's 'until we see each other again'. Right now I'm looking forward to seeing someone else.
No comments:
Post a Comment