I have lived in Cornwall almost my whole life and i have wanted nothing more than to leave it for the dizzy heights of the big smoke. I couldn’t see why people wanted to live here or holiday here and that slow pace of life was just too slow. I knew that i lived in a beautiful part of the world but i never truely realised what was staring me right in the face. As sad as it sounds i’ve either been caught up in myself or my work that i’ve never really taken a moment to breath it all in.
Living in Cornwall is really all i know so i don’t have anything to compare it to, but, the city life always struck me as an exciting one. Always having whatever you wanted on your doorstep, be it shops, shows, airports or eateries seemed like a million miles away. Just as a small example, if i went on the Just Eat app, like you do when you want a dirty kebab (come on we’ve all done it once, surely?), i’m lucky if i get one search result. Seriously.
I’m not entirely sure what i planned to do once i got to London but i just assumed that one day i would be there following that yellow brick road, eating Yo! Sushi (i don’t even like fish but i’m sure that’s what the cool people do) and visiting the V and A.
Since i’ve been on maternity or been pregnant in fact i guess i thought less about myself and more about the future of the small human i would be raising. The claustrophobic tubes, smoggy air and fast pace of life no longer looked promising. When i went to Bali with a plum sized baby Ernest in my tum, i was told that it was a very spiritual place and many people go there to find themselves. I imagined this whole Eat, Pray, Love effect but i was looking for it in all the wrong places. Although it was the most amazing experience and something i can tell him about when he’s older, home really is where my heart and soul has been captured.
I am lucky enough to wake up every morning, look out the window and see the sea. The little things in life are what keep us grounded. I have never walked so much in my life, as i have since i haven’t had to get up for work in the mornings. I can honestly say when the sun is shining i could be anywhere in the world. I love nothing more than jumping in the car and driving down the road looking for another new place to discover. We took a trip down to Sennen Cove this week and it was stunning. The sea ran as far as the eye could see, with lots of little fishing boats moored up in pretty colours and a beautiful thatched cottage overlooking it all.
And the reason for this inpromptu trek, my husband is going through some kind of mid life crisis and decided that he wants to be a surfer. I haven’t seen him surf much yet as he tends to just sit on the board bobbing as the waves wash past him, but i’ll give him an A for effort though. What is it they say ” you have all the gear but no idea”.
It’s mad to think that i haven’t seen half of Cornwall but its a lovely feeling knowing that Ernest will grow up in this beautiful place. At the moment its much harder just to get up and go but its worth every pain staking minute. When Ernest is big enough i can’t wait to show him what mother natures got to offer. Who needs big shops and giant airports, when you’ve got the beach and a pasty? I can walk down the street and be greeted with a smile by almost everyone i walk past. I can watch an open air play overlooking the sea. I can find the most amazing local vegetables on the side of the road with an honesty box for payment.
It really is a magical place to be. I couldn’t see it before but i know now that when people tell me how lucky i am to live where i live, i can agree with them. I only hope that Ernest grows up to appreciate it as much as i do now. Its only taken me 31 years. I’m finding it pretty daunting to think about returning to work and in just over a month i will no longer be able to have uninterrupted time with my boy. I look at all the amazing mumma’s who have branched out and made a life for themselves from home. I fear that i’ll miss out on some huge milestones but i have to keep on going with the hope that anything is possible.
For now i will cherish the moments we have together as they really do grow up in the blink of an eye.
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage – Lao Tzu
I Dreamed Of Ginger 