Absence

My apologies. I've been absent. Not physically, but in every other way. This was because an infected tooth affected my ability to think, create, do housework... Yes, truly. I'm serious. Only today am I feeling energetic enough to catch up on cleaning and laundry. Last week, even the tidying was minimal, although I did manage to do a little cooking.

I suppose 'absent' was a word I first learned at school, when the opposite was 'present' and your attendance was marked in the register. Seeing as I loved school, I was always happy to be present -- physically that was. In other ways I was always a day dreamer. That used to annoy my dad who used to tell me to 'wake up'. Strange, really, because he was something of a dreamer himself and could scheme up wonderful plans and stories. He'd get a vague look in his eye and I'd know he was far away in his imagination and would likely soon come up with something new and interesting.

Being around small children means I have no choice at those times but to be present. And sometimes I'd rather be absent in all senses of the word! So maybe this is yet another area where it's good to find the balance between two extremes.