The other day, my little girl asked me to play with her in her playroom. I told her, "No, honey. I've got to do laundry now." It seems I'm always doing laundry, but with a busy ACTIVE family, there is always laundry to be done. But this time, I heard myself showing symptoms of getting lost in the rush.
At that moment, I realized the laundry will always be there, but that little four year old girl who wants nothing more than to pretend that she's a purple fairy in Dora the Explorer's next big adventure won't be. I was reminded of a Dear Abby article (I believe it was her) in which Abby herself reflected on all the things she would not have put off. Time with her children topped the list. Of course, the inspiration for creating that list came with a cancer diagnosis. I don't want that kind of crisis to be what forces me to hit the brakes.
So many of us feel lost in the rush because of the number of hats we must wear. When I think of mine, I get a bit overwhelmed: Mother, Wife, Sister, Daughter, Friend, IBM Employee, IBM Manager, Team Captain of Save The Girls (Avon Walk for Breast Cancer), Jefferson Elementary School Partners in Education (PIE) member, parishioner at St. Marks Episcopal Church. And, next to some of my friends and colleagues, I feel like a slouch!
I guess I'm sharing this because I think it's time we find the moments to pretend to be a cartoon character, get lost in a favorite book (preferably the old fashioned kind that forces you to turn a page, not click a mouse), take a long bath, enjoy a glass of wine, or simply take a deep breath before speeding on to the next "to-do" list item. So, to my lovely wife, to my children, to my dear friends and family, I promise that I will listen more actively, I will stay in the moment, and I will put down the laundry basket and spend some time with that purple fairy I mentioned earlier in my note.
I'm sure it will rejuvenate me in the same way that prayer does. . . it fills the cracks that fragmented living creates and prevents my soul from getting lost in the rush.
At that moment, I realized the laundry will always be there, but that little four year old girl who wants nothing more than to pretend that she's a purple fairy in Dora the Explorer's next big adventure won't be. I was reminded of a Dear Abby article (I believe it was her) in which Abby herself reflected on all the things she would not have put off. Time with her children topped the list. Of course, the inspiration for creating that list came with a cancer diagnosis. I don't want that kind of crisis to be what forces me to hit the brakes.
So many of us feel lost in the rush because of the number of hats we must wear. When I think of mine, I get a bit overwhelmed: Mother, Wife, Sister, Daughter, Friend, IBM Employee, IBM Manager, Team Captain of Save The Girls (Avon Walk for Breast Cancer), Jefferson Elementary School Partners in Education (PIE) member, parishioner at St. Marks Episcopal Church. And, next to some of my friends and colleagues, I feel like a slouch!
I guess I'm sharing this because I think it's time we find the moments to pretend to be a cartoon character, get lost in a favorite book (preferably the old fashioned kind that forces you to turn a page, not click a mouse), take a long bath, enjoy a glass of wine, or simply take a deep breath before speeding on to the next "to-do" list item. So, to my lovely wife, to my children, to my dear friends and family, I promise that I will listen more actively, I will stay in the moment, and I will put down the laundry basket and spend some time with that purple fairy I mentioned earlier in my note.
I'm sure it will rejuvenate me in the same way that prayer does. . . it fills the cracks that fragmented living creates and prevents my soul from getting lost in the rush.
Stacy,
ReplyDeleteI look forward to following your life and parenting adventures though this blog.
Since I have had the opportunity to work with you I have come to admire and respect both you and Donna and think you have two of the greatest kids around. Your family is one of the happiest ones I have seen in a long time
Jan