A Secret to Success as a Working Mom: Turn Burn Out Into Bliss and Embrace Joy

on
Last weekend my youngest was committed to going to the "Water Steps" a man-made water fall in Pittsburgh by the rivers. (Fun Fact: Three rivers converge in Pittsburgh--The Ohio River, The Monongahela River, and the Allegheny River.)  He kept asking. I knew he was serious when he said, "If you won't take me, I'll ask  daddy!" Given that it was highly unlikely that would happen on an unscheduled day, I relented. So, we went. It wasn’t planned in the way most things in my life are. No calendar block. No checklist. No “productive” purpose attached. And, so in some respects it was uncomfortable. And yet, it seemed necessary. It was the idea of my 8-year-old—offered with the kind of urgency only children possess when something is profoundly important to them.
0

Seasons are a changin', but I'm not

on

Some people always choose the truth. But sometimes truth is overrated. Sometimes, I choose denial because it is more fun that way.

I am currently denying that summer ended on Labor Day. I'm simply not ready for it to end. Since I have nearly majored in denial for a lifetime, I have decided to live my life as if summer has not ended.

I shall continue to enjoy the season as if I make the rules. I shall continue to dine al fresco, wear white with impunity, and watch the fireworks where ever I find them.

I shall bask in the sunshine, go swimming until it's unhealthy to do so, and drink obsecene amounts of lemonade (perhaps a few margaritas).

I shall go to amusement parks, eat candy apples, and seek invitations to cook outs where I'll get some good barbequed chicken.

I shall enjoy summer salads full of fresh produce, watch with anticipation as my butter melts atop my corn on the cob, and consume watermelon with passion and vigor. I won't even bother to wipe the juice from my chin until I'm all done.

I shall continue to revel in my summer fling. I'll relish kisses under the stars and stolen glances under the moonlight. I will pretend as if it is a new romance that has all of the potential of Memorial Day and all of the excitement of the Fourth of July.

I shall dine on my patio and appreciate the constant sound of the invisible, but noisy, crickets.

I shall take long weekends, eat outside, and read a book under a tree.

I shall invite my girlfriends to go on a trip to some spa or exotic place where we can create memories to inspire us all year long. Together we shall ignore convention and the calendar and declare "viva summer!"--well at least until it becomes grossly unfashionable.

I shall end my summer like I began it, committed to extracting every bit of joy out of every day.

I believe that Summer is a state of mind and not confined by the calendar. It symbolizes relaxation, romance, and vacation. Those are some of the sweetest things that life has to offer. I don't think that there's anything at all wrong with wanting to extend it. Do you?!

Comments

Post a Comment