There he sat.
Mid-40s. Tired of providing, tired of protecting.
Disillusioned by self-employment — it hasn’t panned out the way he hoped.
He wants back into salaried work.
He needs a safety net.
A pause from the hustle.
Let someone else chase the clients, track the invoices, hire the team.
There’s the mortgage. The school fees.
She’s in perimenopause — not sure if it’s the hormones or something else that’s irritating her. Maybe it’s him, after all.
She works full-time. And yes, she carries the lion’s share at home.
She arranges the playdates. Deals with the fridge repair. Buys the basketball kit. Gets the groceries. Makes the meals. And still — so much goes unnoticed. Unappreciated.
They are exhausted. There is no time for themselves.
Let alone each other.
Nervous systems are stretched. Conversations snatched.
The sparkle in his eyes has gone.
He has no energy for dreams. Nor for the projects that once gave him fire.
He fixes his gaze. What do I want, you ask?
Mainly, I just want rest.
This is the story of one couple.
If it is also yours, rest and maybe ask yourself: given this, now what?
Photo thanks to christopher lemercier on Unsplash
Related blog: Given This, Now What?