By Eve Bell

The pace of January speaks my language.

It’s like the Sunday of the year, with no expectations and a slower pace.

If January was a verb, it would be wintering.

I read a book called Wintering a few years ago where it describes winter, not just as a season, but as a state of mind. A place to go when you are in between things. A space to reflect while you withdraw from the world a little while.

A place where I am now.

I started my little business Baba+Boo when my children were tiny – 18 months and 9 weeks old. They have grown up alongside it. They have known nothing else. It was a true family business with three generations having a helping hand in keeping it running.

It was never just a business. It was a movement. A community of like minded parents trying to reduce waste and consumption, whilst spreading a lot of kindness along the way.

The decision to close Baba+Boo was painful and took a long time. It was the right decision but I don’t say it lightly in that it was utterly heartbreaking. This week I have been making a scrapbook filled with memories and all your lovely messages. The love and support I received when I shared the news of the closure helped put me back together. We did something magical together. The Baba+Boo community was something so special that there are no words I can find to encapsulate it.

I knew I would need to ‘winter’ after I had closed the doors. There is a huge hole in my life and I need to feel all the feelings, reflect and just be.

The other day, someone asked me what I did. I froze. It’s the first time I have been asked that and I haven’t got a business anymore. So I told him what I used to do.

But it made me wonder.

What if what we did was a verb and not a noun. Instead of being a nurse, you are caring. Not a teacher, but inspiring. Maybe next time I am asked, I will say I am wintering.