Tuesday, 6 December 2011

December time...

December is one of my favourite ever months, I like the whole build-up to Christmas more than the event itself! Well, nearly...

We went away for a day and a night to Bath to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I love this city  - I love its Jane Austen-esque streets and its hilly walks. I love the fact that it reminds me of my University days. I love that we have always retreated there as a bit of a bolt-hole, away from things. I love that art galleries mingle with cool one-off individual little shops. I love that time went really slowly when we were there. But most of all, I love that I returned knowing afresh why I married my husband in the first place. I like him. He's good fun :-)



The Circus, Bath...photograph by Mal Bray
I return as well to the final weeks of the school term before my children break up for Christmas. It's a round of choir concerts and Nativity plays, interspersed by moments of quiet reflection about what is on my mind. Once they are around, there are certainly fewer quiet moments and much less opportunity to make life ordered...


In readiness for Christmas, I re-trace all the old traditions, especially the Danish ones in honour of my Scandinavian heritage. The house will soon be adorned with quirky decorations and lots of white candles...

via latte lisa
I've been thinking lately about self confidence. A few reminders of how precarious self confidence and self esteem can be. I watch my children growing up and can see how some actions give confidence but conversely how some take it away. If I could give any gift to them, this would be it. But as a parent, it's actually hard to know how to instill confidence and I wonder sometimes if my methods are too obvious. There is only so many times you can tell a child she is beautiful. Is that ever enough?




5 comments:

  1. Love your comments about your husband ~ nice to know that you still like him!! Out of my 2 nieces one is a troubled soul and the other has self confidence galore ~ the troubled one is 17 ~ the other is 12. I hope that her confidence stays intact as it is wonderful to see ~ she is her own person and I love that about her. I know how hard it is to raise kids nowadays ~ even from the sidelines....

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  2. No, it's never enough - that's what's so frightening. My best friend's daughter is having a hard time in school - she comes home believing she is worthless.

    My friend is so frustrated. That child have been told and shown that she is loved, precious, smart, beautiful and funny every single day of her life - and one person can take it all away. Scary:-(

    So no, you can never say it too much. Home is the gas station where you fill up on love and confidence before you go out into the world again.

    Sorry - got carried away a little bit:-)

    Very jealous about Bath and looking forward to the Danish Christmas!

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  3. Lou! A very very happy 20th wedding anniversaries to you! I am so sorry I missed this rather exciting and memorable milestone but I wish you and your hubby all the best :) I can only hope that the next 20 years are just as incredible as the last xoxo Hugs my friend!

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  4. Glad you were able to get away to really celebrate your anniversary with quality time together. Mine isn't until September, but it's a big one (10) and I'm already trying to figure out what we can do to get away.

    And confidence...if only we were the only influences in their lives. I like how Carina put it...home as the gas station. You can't ever say it enough.

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  5. oh lou. i seriously fell in love with bath. i am absolutely dying to go back. so glad you guys had such a lovely time :)
    and confidence...its such a hard one isnt it. keep telling her shes beautiful...it works :) xx

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