Today, I lost the battle. The juggling act of moms everywhere, attempting to accomplish an unlimited number of tasks in a limited amount of time. But when mom loses, who actually wins?
It’s 4pm, and my groceries are still on the counter from the morning. Lunch is somehow on the floor of the living room. The trash is overflowing. None of my bills are paid. And there seem to be clothes littered across every horizontal surface.
But my children are happy.
They don’t notice the mess. They don’t notice the chaos. The only thing they notice is my mood. Despite the tornado raging through my home, I’ve chosen to release my expectations for the day and embrace the pandemonium. I’m not angry or frustrated. I’ve chosen to laugh at the dishwasher that still has three clean items in it, despite multiple attempts to unload them. I’m sitting outside, enjoying the weather, while the kids run around, instead of frantically running around cleaning up after them.
Today I made a different choice, one I often struggle with. Today I chose to accept the circumstances as they lay and move on. A messy house isn’t the end of the world because I can always clean tomorrow, but how I handle my emotions will impact the entire house, now and in the future. Sometimes the best choice is to forfeit the battle, especially if it means winning the war.
Jacqueline Pinchuk 