The past tree months have been a whirlwind. Do you remember when you were a kid how quickly summer vacation went? Sabbatical felt like that. Like it happened in no time at all. But it also feels like it’s been ages since I sat down to work with my teammates both at Automattic and in the WordPress community.

It’s been three months. In ways it feels like a flash, in others like a lifetime. I can’t remember without looking what I hoped to accomplish on this gift of time off but I feel like none of that matters. I’ve done nothing and everything.

I’ve spent days calmly breathing, reading, listening to music, watching tv.

I’ve walked more miles than I can count.

I met a friend for the most amazing pina coladas.

I’ve snuggled cats.

I wrote poetry.

I spent hours slack chatting with two “work friends” I couldn’t let go of.

I spent “quality time” with my kid and got to know some of her friends better.

I’m sure I’ve driven my partner mad as I vocally worried about what I should do with all this time off while he put in long hours tending to the local startup community.

I had far too much sushi with an old friend.

I spent a weekend at the beach with two of the most amazing women I’ve ever known, ate gumbo, drank more than my fair share of rosé, sipped bourbon and gin, screamed and cheered during the World Cup, and watched my first NASCAR race.

I upped my plant game in a big way and learned which fantastic folks in my life are plant obsessed as well.

I learned to macrame (and I’m still not sure how to feel about it.)

I built an emergency kit in case of earthquake (okay I mostly built the kit. It could still use some fine tuning.)

Watched the clouds. Watched the stars. Watched the sun set.

I purged a lot of belongings and junk we didn’t need, cleaned, and organized.

I took myself out to lunch a few times. Just me and a book. And learned that I like it.

I got even more plants and started a plant blog.

Went on a road trip mostly to get out of the city but also to check out a tiki bar.

I acquired two more antique typewriters.

I tried pilates for the first time.

See? A lot of nothing, and a little bit of everything. I spent time just being myself. Figuring out who I am when I’m not on task. And I worked really hard toward coming to terms with the anxiety that has been a constant companion to me for as long as I can remember.

And now as I write this recollection I’m keenly aware that I have one day left. One more day to be who I am when I’m not working. One more day to do whatever. One more day to just be kind to me.

There are takeaways. Realizations. Routines I want to implement or change when I got back. Practices I want to put in place. Things I want to explore. But now is not the time for those. Now it’s time to just be me for one more day.

I think this calls for a mani pedi, a fancy lunch, and a whole day away from the computer. Starting…. now.

See you all on Wednesday.