And so do moms…
This afternoon I jumped in the pool with my daughter after a long day hiking the gorgeous Torla-Ordesa National Park (highly recommended, by the way).
We're staying in the Spanish Pyrenees in a rustic chalet that shares a pool with the campground next door. It's the kind of place that feels very European to a Californian. Families. Young hikers. Traveling seniors. Campers. Everyone mingling. Simple. Beautiful. Just enough.
The mountains wrapped around us, reflecting perfectly in the still water. Cowbells echoed somewhere in the distance. I dove in and started splashing around with my daughter.
And then I realized...
There were adults everywhere in the pool.
Not sitting on the edge with a phone.
Not counting down the minutes until they could dry off.
Not checking the parenting box before retreating to a lounge chair.
They looked like they genuinely wanted to be there.
As I floated on my back, I began taking in everything else around me.
A dad tossed his toddler into the air over and over.
A mom and daughter lathered sunscreen on each other before popping back into the water.
My husband invented some splash game with our youngest that seemed a lot more giggling than rules.
I realized I couldn't tell whose laughter belonged to the children...
...and whose belonged to the adults.
This may have been the case where you grew up, but for me, swimming with either of my parents was like pulling teeth. Not because they didn't love us or spend time with us… it just wasn't something most adults seemed to enjoy. Even now, I can think of plenty of parents who endure pool time more than they embrace it.
I mean, these parents are all on holiday. I get that. But, they weren't staying in just long enough to say they did it.
They weren't checking a parenting box.
They were playing.
Not performing.
Just... enjoying themselves
And isn't that the ultimate expression of the art of doing nothing?
The more I travel through Europe, especially these quieter, nature-based places a little off the beaten path, the more I notice this rhythm.
Long afternoons by rivers. Lakes. Beaches. Pools.
No one seems in much of a hurry. It's not really about the pool. It's about the enjoyment of life.
Lingering. Wandering.
Being instead of doing.
Floating in the sea or playing in the pool requires very little and gives so much back.
Where else can doing less give you so much more?
Siesta here in Spain is definitely one. Staying out too late on warm summer nights. People-watching from a plaza. An afternoon cocktail.
None of these serves much purpose beyond leisure.
And maybe that's the point.
Maybe this has less to do with Europe than permission.
Permission to linger.
Permission to play.
Permission to let an afternoon unfold without squeezing every drop of productivity from it.
Somewhere along the way, I think many of us started believing leisure had to be earned.
Maybe it doesn't.
Maybe it's one of the ways we remember how to enjoy our lives.
My oldest daughter sometimes gets impatient with me when we're exploring somewhere new because I love to wander. I stop to look at an interesting shop window. To pet a cute dog. To admire a crooked old doorway. To wonder how every flower box looks so effortlessly perfect.
To her, we're walking somewhere.
To me, that's where we're going.
It's like a beach walk or a campfire.
The purpose isn't to get anywhere.
The purpose is simply to be.
That afternoon, no one seemed in a hurry to get out of the pool.
No one appeared to be wasting time.
Maybe because they weren't trying to make the most of vacation, they already were.
There doesn't have to be an agenda.
Whether it's travel, home, or otherwise… Sometimes just being is enough.
xo,
Abby
What simple moment have you noticed lately that made you see life a little differently? I'd love to hear in the comments…
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Notes From Elsewhere is where I collect the little things I notice while traveling, moments that end up changing how I think about home, design, and everyday life.
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Those mountains in the background are incredible. It looks like you were having the most delightful sun drenched holiday with your family.