Picture this. I’m on a date.
It’s a cozy weeknight, and I’m at one of my favorite local cafes, sitting at a table with a nice salad and a warm cup of tea.
And I don’t have to rush home because my husband is on kid duty.
If you’re wondering…who’s in the chair across from me then?
The answer is no one.
That’s right.
I’m on a date with myself.
Me, myself, and I are having some quality time together – in a real restaurant. Truly removed from the day-to-day of my routine.
When I was younger, I thought of restaurants as social places.
I would see someone at a table with just one place setting and would feel a tinge of sadness in my heart for them.
Don’t they have someone to eat with? Are they lonely?
Then fast forward…I got married and had kids.
And then quarantine and social distancing entered. And never left.
And all of a sudden my husband and I are not just spouses, but co-workers. My kids might be in school one day and home the next, in gymnastics practice on Tuesday, and then home tumbling around the living room with nowhere to put all that energy the rest of the week because #closecontacts.
My sweet family is spending WAY more quality time together than I ever imagined. And while it’s beautiful and cozy and I’m certainly thankful for it (most of the time)…
…a mama just needs a break every once in a while.
You know what I’m saying.
So I began to think about those Tables for One from a different perspective, and how nice it must be to just sit and have a quiet meal. To enjoy a peaceful dinner from time to time and just…be.
Your date night might not be eating dinner at a cafe.
Yours might be going to that art exhibit you can’t convince anyone to see with you.
Or that movie you’re too embarrassed to admit you’d really like to see.
Because the beauty of a solo date night means no compromises.
It means doing something you really want to do – honoring your passions and interests.
We spend so much time honoring others – in our roles as daughters and sisters and friends and wives and mothers and business owners – and guess who you’ve been neglecting all along?
You know where I’m going with this…
Date yourself. Give it a try. You might just learn something new about each other.
Xoxo,
Cherylanne
