It's so easy for me to get totally overwhelmed by the extraordinariness that seems to surround me. I am amazed and inspired by mothers who seem to find time do to it all-- go on beautiful trips, make amazing handmade things for their children, make yummy things from scratch, keep their homes beautiful and clean, teach their children, and cultivate personal hobbies and interests (all of this, it seems, on a daily basis). How do they do it? I feel like I am constantly working just to keep things moving around here. And after a full day of keeping the children happy and fed, trying to spend as much time possible outside, and keeping the house just shy of total chaos, I am toasted-- having energy to do little beyond curling up with a good book or my husband.
I have to constantly remind myself that there is nothing I am called to do that is impossible. There is nothing I am called to do that is outside of my own realm of abilities. I am just one woman, with my own special gifts, and one of my gifts happens not to be spinning my own yarn, as much as I would love to be able to do that. I've missed the point of all of this amazingness around me-- the point is not to do it all, but to do what gives you joy, life, energy. For me, that might be little more than being present to my family. Or being thankful for what is in my life right now.
So I'm taking a deep breath, surveying the less than perfect landscape around me, and looking forward to reading a good book to Zosia.
What gives you joy, life, energy?
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2 comments:
Good thoughts Adele! I second the idea of finding joy outdoors. I've taken profound joy in riding my bike to and from work in Ann Arbor. After being in Cambridge for so long, I forgot what the horizon looks like, that it's supposed to be composed of earth and plants not skylines.
Oh that sounds so nice! This is far off in the future, but Ben and I are planning a trip to Ann Arbor (sans babies, even!) this August. Will you be around?
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