“And wasn’t it terrible, how much he looked forward to those moments, so much so that sometimes even a ride by himself on the subway was the best part of the day? Wasn’t it terrible that after all the work one put into finding a person to spend one’s life with, after making a family with that person, even in spite of missing that person…that solitude was what one relished the most, the only thing that, even in fleeting, diminished doses, kept one sane?”

- Jhumpa Lahiri, Unaccustomed Earth

My wife and I had a conversation about this the other day. Being a parent, completing thoughts, taking time to yourself, finding solitude, for even a few moments can be difficult. It seems like some days we hardly finish a sentence without being crapped on, or calming our screaming children. The guilt that goes along with even thinking about wanting that absence from the people you love most is something I was not ready for when I thought of all the wonderful things about becoming a parent.