Searching For My Thing

Being a wife and a mom of three leaves very little room in my life for much else. Sometimes, I feel like I'm officially tapping into an empty pool. I know that I've said it before. I'm beat and tired and more stressed out than I've ever been in my entire wonderful life. But lately I've grown a little restless. I am still searching for my thing.

I secretly dream about finding a thing that isn't about anyone else. It would be something just for me...my very own mountain to climb and conquer. You see, being a wife and mom isn't my thing- it's my life. It is my reason for being. Your thing should not be your reason for living- it should only add to the experience. My family will always come first- just so that is clear. But then there's my thing...

I've had several things in the past but none of them ever reached full "thing" status. They were more like little blips or blurbs along the way. They came and they went, and while they served a short term purpose, they were not my thing. 

 

If you asked me right now, I might say that blogging is my thing but there is so much to learn and improve upon. At this very moment, I am eager to keep working on it. But that's not to say that it won't change in two weeks when my creative energy shifts.

I want a thing that I get really really good at. Something that might teeter on obsession. {In a healthy way.} After my family responsibilities, I want to devote what little energy I have left to something that makes me proud of myself.

 

I have an idea for my thing but I admit that I am hesitant to share it with the three of you that read my blog. Hesitant because if I write it, it has the potential of becoming something else that I didn't do. Another thing that had wings but just never got off the ground. But there's a spark in me that I desperately want to explore. My new thing will be for me, yes. But the results would greatly benefit the people who mean the most to me. My new thing would allow me to find comfort in the fact that I did what I could do.  If the universe has other plans, well, I can't compete with that. But I would have the satisfaction of knowing that I gave it my all.

So I'm going to leave it at that. Maybe I won't announce it. Instead, I'll just try it without the pomp and circumstance and see where it takes me. And if it develops into a full fledged thing, others will take notice. But if it doesn't then that's ok too. 

 

 "There is no failure except in no longer trying. " ~ Elbert Hubbard

What about you, have you found your thing?

A Funny Thing Happened in the Bathroom

A funny thing happened to me in the bathroom tonight.  It' s not what you're thinking. I didn't accidentally tuck my dress into my panties or worse, find myself in a stall without toilet paper and be forced to *ahem* drip dry.  Instead, I found myself in a crowded tourist trap restaurant ladies room trying to change not 1, but 2 poopy diapers. 

Did I mention that the bathroom was the size of a shoe box and lacked air conditioning? And that due to poor planning on my part, it was way late and my children were starving and screaming? {We're talking back arched, spaghetti armed tantrums here} To make matters worse, when the changing table was unfolded, it blocked the doors to both stalls making it impossible for the poor women trapped inside to escape. So there I was, holding up the entire line in the bathroom. But no one grumbled a single complaint or gave me a sideways glare. Instead, complete strangers offered sympathetic smiles and one sweet soul even offered to hold the baby while I wrestled with Henry and cursed the adorable jumper I made him wear instead of shorts and a t-shirt. That's when it hit me.

Motherhood is a club. We have an unspoken connection with other woman simply because we are mothers.  Sometimes we swap stories about the joys, triumphs, trials and tantrums. Other times we catch each other’s eye and share a brief glance of recognition before parting ways. 

In the middle of a crowded ladies room, I was reminded that it’s about so much more than finally finding a club where I fit in. Motherhood is a community of women bound together by a shared journey. This community has welcomed me with open arms and for that, I am forever grateful.