Light

A year ago – almost to the day – I went for a walk in the woods.

With Frog strapped firmly to my chest I donned my new wellies and went splashing in puddles with my friend and her little boy, Arthur. We chased after Boots, the beautiful black Labrador, and built piles of sticks next to a hollow log.

At the time, Arthur was two and a half. Throughout the walk he was in a world of his own. One minute he was driving a train, the next he was boarding a bus, then he was tooting the horn, then he was taking passengers’ tickets. It was the first time he had ever completely lost himself in his own imagination and, as a new mum with all this to look forward to, it was thrilling to see.

For that afternoon, I also lost myself. I forgot the difficult decisions I had to make regarding my return to work after maternity leave. I forgot the pile of freelance emails I had yet to send and my apprehension at going it alone, without a guaranteed regular monthly pay cheque.

Instead, I waded through puddles and played like a toddler.

It was a rare moment of light in what, looking back, was a time full of worry…

Luckily, Arthur’s mum, my wonderful friend Caroline, was there to capture the whole afternoon. Looking at these pictures takes me right back to those two hours a year ago, when the light danced on the water and I remembered how to have fun.

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This is my entry to this week’s Gallery. Head over to Sticky Fingers to see the rest.