beckity

She didn't need any help with the poster, had it all mapped out in her head. Votez pour Elsie! it said in big letters, each coloured a different colour of the rainbow. She stuck a photo of herself in the corner and carefully wrote out key words to remind her what to say when they did their presentations. Pas timide et courageuse; j'ecoute les autres; joyeuse. All qualities that she thought would win over her classmates. Once the poster was done it was time for bed. Elsie turned and looked at me on her way up the stairs. 'Mummy' she said in a quiet sad voice. 'I don't think they'll pick me.' *** Bounding in through the door, her first words were 'I am the delegue de classe!' I was overjoyed for her, thrilled her confidence had been given the boost she deserved. 'Well done!' How did the presentation go?' I asked. 'I told them everything, and they gave me ten votes. The others got 4 and 2. Yasmine got 1.' At dinner she...

It’s funny, you start a family and it’s all new and terrifying and exciting, then bit by bit you get good at planning and organising and soon you’re used to having the lunch boxes ready each morning and getting the homework book signed and life is pulling you along in the fast continuous current and then one day, a couple of months before your third child is brought into the world, you stop. I stopped. I stopped and stepped back and took a good look at this life I have here. Sitting in a cafe on my day off this week, I ordered a coffee and glass of water. I sat by the window and watched the world carrying on outside, feeling smug that I had the luxury of taking a break from it all for a change. I thought about how rarely I do this, but how my body was increasingly encouraging me to do it more often. I thought about life, about my work, my wonderful life partner, my incredible kids. The radio was playing Queen. I've paid my dues, time after time. I've done my sentence, But c...