Whole Day With a Friend

Every year on WhatsApp, my friend and I make the same plan: this month I will come to your place, and next month you will come to mine. We imagine ourselves going out, sitting in a café, eating something nice, talking like we used to. We mums need a break too we say it all the time.

And it wasn’t just me making plans. She made them too. But they always stayed as plans. That idiom “all talk and no action” fits both of us perfectly. Whenever we got a little free time, we started planning again… and again it never happened. Sometimes she got stuck with her son’s exams or activities. Sometimes I had the same problem. Life kept interrupting us, as if motherhood had its own secret calendar that never matched ours.

Still, the desire to meet never went away. Every time we chatted, we ended up dreaming about that one peaceful outing just two mums, two cups of tea, and no responsibilities for a little while. It became our favourite fantasy, something we repeated so often that it almost felt real, even though it never happened.

But after ages yesterday, yes yesterday something changed. I don’t know what came over me, but I suddenly made a plan. I called my friend and told her, “We need a break too. Let’s meet tomorrow. I’ll come to your place, and after two months you can visit me. This time we have to be serious. Let’s take action.” She laughed and said, “Yes, let’s do it. No excuses this time.”

Today, I finished all my work at home and took the bus from Sainsbury’s towards Maidenhead. I was so excited. I texted her that I was on my way and that I would take the second bus from Maidenhead. But the second bus was almost an hour away. I thought, Why not take the train? It’s quicker, just one stop, and we’ll have more time together.

But life had other plans. I booked a train ticket, and only a few minutes before the train time, I heard the announcement: the train had been cancelled. The bus was gone, the train was cancelled, and I stood there thinking, Should I just go back home? Cancel everything again? Is this another sign that mums are not meant to have a break?Then I told myself, If you don’t go today, you won’t go this year. I took a deep breath, waited for the next bus, and continued my journey. It felt like a small victory — choosing myself, choosing my friend, choosing a moment of joy.

After a long bus ride, we finally met. She was so happy — and so was I. We sat outside a café, eating, drinking, talking, laughing. The weather was gentle, the food tasted better than usual, and the conversation flowed like we had never taken a break from each other. It felt like a tiny holiday squeezed into a few hours.

On the way back, we both agreed: “Bus is best!” We laughed at how dramatic the morning had been, how close we came to cancelling again, and how proud we were that we didn’t.

My purpose in writing this story is simple: mums need to take a moment for themselves too. Even a small break can make you feel lighter and healthier. And when you are happy and healthy, the whole family becomes happy and healthy.

When I reached home, I felt lighter in a way I hadn’t felt in years. Not because the day was perfect — it wasn’t. Not because everything went smoothly — it definitely didn’t. But because I finally did something for myself without waiting for the “right time,” the “perfect moment,” or the “ideal schedule” that never comes for mums like us.

As I put my bag down and made tea, I realised something quietly powerful: motherhood doesn’t erase the woman inside us. She’s still there, waiting patiently for a little space, a little air, a little joy. And when we give her that — even for a few hours — she returns home refreshed, kinder, softer, more present.

Later that evening, my friend messaged me:

“Today felt so good. Let’s not wait another year.”

I smiled at my phone.

“We won’t,” I replied.

And for the first time, I actually believed it.

Because yesterday taught me something simple but life‑changing:

Sometimes the universe won’t open the door for you.

Sometimes you have to push it open yourself — bus delays, cancelled trains, and all.

And when you do, even the smallest outing becomes a reminder that mums are allowed to breathe too. We deserve moments that belong only to us. We deserve laughter that isn’t rushed. We deserve tea that’s actually hot. We deserve friendships that nourish us back to life.

So if you’re reading this and you’ve been postponing that one tiny break — take it.

Not next month. Not “when things calm down.”

Take it now.

Because when you choose yourself, even for a moment, you return to your family with a heart that feels just a little more whole.

This story is a reminder for every mum who keeps putting herself last. We often wait for the perfect moment to rest, reconnect, or simply breathe — but motherhood rarely gives us that moment on its own. Sometimes we have to create it ourselves. This piece is inspired by a real day, a real friendship, and a realisation that small breaks can bring big healing. If this story resonates with you, share it with another mum who might need a gentle nudge to choose herself today.