It
has been awhile since I have been in the blogosphere. I must admit that
sometimes it bothers me that I don’t have the time (or
energy) to post everyday. I want to be a dedicated
blogger, but I also want to and must do many other things. I have a duty and
obligation to many things so I must prioritize which leaves blogging near the
bottom of my list. Should this bother me? Probably not, but it does. Perhaps
that makes me an overachiever or simply unrealistic, but in this fast-paced
technological world we live in I see others do it and am often guilty of
mentally beating myself because I do not. I feel like a failure, even though I
know in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
I
organize and try to make the most of each hour for the purpose of staying
“caught up.” As moms and wives, we feel that multitasking is just part of our
life. We cook supper, while running the washer and dryer, thinking of what
needs to be prepared for the next day, all while keeping an eye on our children
who are usually under our feet. Don’t misunderstand, caring for our homes and
loved ones is truly a blessing, but it is one we must keep balanced. Will we
have to multitask often? Definitely, it is simply a part of motherhood but we
must recognize when our full attention is required. In this day of social
media, we constantly compare ourselves to our friends who post pictures of
their child’s perfect birthday party, play date with friends or meal times and
feel that we have fallen incredibly short because we barely got the highchair
cleaned up today, much less the entire house and instead of a homemade meal, we
stick a Stouffer’s entrée in the oven or maybe just a frozen pizza. So in an
effort to “keep up with the Jones’s,” we sacrifice giving our undivided
attention and usually still end up feeling like a failure at all we attempt. We
beat ourselves up because we are not supermom (& wife),
forgetting that no one expects us to be her in the first place.
So
I was having these thoughts the other day when I heard much needed advice. The
advice was simply, be there. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. If you’re at
work, be there. If you’re playing catch with your child, be there. If you’re
having a meal with your spouse, be there. Close your laptop and get down in the
floor and spend some time playing with your children. Put your book away and
spend time asking your husband about his day. Lay your cell phone down, that
notification wasn’t that important. Will you have less time to spend with your
hobbies by adopting the “Be there” approach? Possibly, but I guarantee years
from now, you won’t be looking back on your life regretting that you didn’t
post on your blog each day. Your blog will be there when your husband is gone
and your children are grown. Keep that in your mind and be there.