There aren’t many moments in life for me that aren’t automatically filtered through a number of layers: ‘What should I be doing right now?’ ‘Who needs something from me?’ ‘What tasks are outstanding?’ I act as if on auto pilot – cleaning, responding, instructing, rescuing.

It was a while ago now. The hum of kids splashing in the bath, water flowing into the sink to cleanse dirty dishes. A song came on and I couldn’t help myself. Whirling, spinning, eyes squeezed shut as I completely surrendered to the moment. A giddy smile spread across my face as I remembered, for a brief second, what it felt like to be a child again. I opened my eyes to find my eldest son staring, open-mouthed with slight concern as he no doubt wondered what strange force had overtaken his usually responsible mother.

This energy throbs shallowly under the surface for my children. It only takes the press of a button to unearth the reserves of happiness that become unleashed as they wiggle and shriek to the flow of the music. They dance with abandon, unconcerned with how they might be perceived, who might be watching, what mundane task they should be completing at that moment.

I yearn for that freedom, ever so slightly out of grasp.

This post is part of the Five Minute Friday writing challenge. Each week I join with this talented group of writers, free writing for five minutes in accordance with a prompt. Today’s prompt is ‘abandon’.