Retreat

I spent a day with my sister's brood this weekend. It's always a great idea when life starts to get a little too quiet; it gives you a new appreciation for a moment's peace. However, in this case, I needed to go to deflate.
People say that raising children is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you can do. And if as someone said, it's two to three times harder than you think it will be, I'm afraid. But since raising children is not on the menu for me at this point, I can only speak to the next best thing. The next most challenging and rewarding thing is a close relationship with friends and family.
I became reacquainted with the piano after about three years, and sat around it with my sister singing show tunes and old camp worship songs with her. It's funny; she's my sister (and an accomplished alto before she was a mother) and I don't recall ever before really singing together just the two of us. It was so great not worrying about what the other person thought about how you sang or how you played. I hadn't played the piano in three years as I said, yet I managed to play a few songs in front of her. Three years ago, I couldn't play the simplest thing in front of anyone. Now I understand a bit better why some of the best music groups are families.
With her stress from raising her brood, and my exhausting existence, I think it hit the spot for both of us. Perhaps later I will document some of the reasons for my need of a retreat from my life.