The In-Between Years

Those years where you straddle the freedom of youth, the hard work of building a fledgling career, and the distant twilight of retirement. I have no desire to wish my life away — in fact, I have an irrational fear of waking up one day to realise I’m old, and that my time is drawing to a close. Or, as my mum would put it, that I’m “approaching the end of my days!”

But still, I feel stuck in an oasis.

I no longer do things just for me — my ambition often takes a back seat to making sure my kids have the best upbringing I can give them. And I realise that’s a polarising subject. Friends I’ve had for years have chosen completely different paths, and neither way is perfect. But it changes things. It brings a new dynamic to relationships that have already weathered university nights out, ex-boyfriends, weddings, and wild adventures.

One huge positive that’s come into my life since leaving work and having children is the strength of female friendships — even the unexpected ones. The kind that form with women you barely know, simply because we get it. Our shared empathy means we can go from small talk to soul talk in the time it takes to pour a glass of wine or make a coffee. It’s beautiful, and weirdly comforting.

These days, my husband and I run our businesses from home, and he still works full-time — so I spend a lot of time alone. Ruminating, questioning my choices, and, honestly, missing the banter around the office coffee machine.

So, in this moment of reflection — post-holiday, pre-washing mountain, mid-jet lag — I decided to start this blog.

A little corner of the internet where I can jot down these thoughts, and maybe, just maybe, connect with others who are feeling the same.