Home from holidays and the first thing I felt as I walked through the door was that appreciation of being home. I loved my time in my other home – the one that is filled with long held friendships and family, but returning to our home felt wonderful too. I have been thinking about the importance of space. I still love the grand design of the couch bed where we have so much more… well, space, but it is not only that. It is the bringing of the outside into our room, really enjoying the beauty of where we live.

As I practice yoga on the deck I look into the dawning sunlinght. The glistening raindrops cling to the wooden rail. I breathe in deeply the rainforest, filled with a sense of calm. It dawns on me how important your sense of space really is to mind, body and soul. This is not to say that you have to be in an optimal space to find peace. I am privileged to know a remarkable man who for some time was a political prisoner abroad. In the most horrendous conditions he found refuge in his religion. His space at that time was on the other end of the extreme and still he managed to not only survive but to grow and to nurture peace within. For the most part though, where we have choice, there are things we do can to cultivate a peaceful space.

Our midwife has just attended another home appointment. We sat outside and chatted. We talked about life, the pregnancy and really anything that came up. In our bedroom she checked my blood pressure and confirmed our guesses on the baby’s position before the three of us listened to baby’s heart. We all stayed sitting on the bed to talk some more. It is remarkable how comfortable you can feel with someone after such a short time.  You could not compare these visits to hospital visits. It is more like a friend checking in, albeit a friend with the knowledge and skill to check that everything is on track.