Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Maybe It's Just Me

Several of my facebook friends are daughters of my friends. Daughters who are wives and mothers. Two of them this morning listed in their status all the things on their plates today. One is an expectant school teacher, another is the stay-at-home mother of four. Both have a lot to do before they go to bed tonight.
I have a dentist appointment. And that's pretty much it for the entire week. Oh, I do want to vacuum sometime.
Those days of constant to-do lists that never get done are still very much in my memory. Just last year I had a full-time job with part-time pay (you know how that is) as youth director at our church and kids at home, which kept my calendar full.
And I do like to have a full calendar, because I'm very much a planner. To me, planning an event is almost as much fun as the event. Plus, you get such kudos in our society for being busy. People are awed by busy people. I'm awed by busy people. So much so that although this blog was running around in my head this morning I kept thinking. "But I can't let people know I only have one thing to do this week!"
It's such a quandry - folks respond to and love the posts where I talk about taking time to pay attention or doing nothing. But it's hard for me to admit to a blank calendar because while folks say they wish they had more time, I'm not sure I always believe them.
Or maybe I'm the only one that finds it hard to say I have nothing to do.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

There came a time in my life, most evident in my career, that what I did was just a whole lot easier to do than it used to be. I found it was just my experience level, as I talked to others, they worried about things in projects like I had at one time, but had come to know were just not that important to the success of the project. In the workplace, it is so difficult to project the "busy" feel that you must to make sure people know you're needed. I'm not a superstar by any means, but if you've been doing something 22 years, it just doesn't take as long to do it. I still pull long hours occasionally if there is a huge project, but I feel like a homeschooler. It just doesn't take that many hours to "learn and do" if you do it right!
Now, that is not necessarily true now with my children and grandchildren! I'm still obsessed with making sure I'm being a good mom/nana and role model!
Thanks for providing me a thought to ponder each day. Even if I don't respond, please know that I always read!

Lisa P

Kay Dew Shostak said...

wow - what great thoughts, Lisa. Hadn't thought of it that way but I've experienced just what you say. And thanks for letting me know you read my blog. Great shot of encouragement on a day when I'm needing it. Have a wonderful Tuesday.