When this popped onto my Instagram feed, I immediately knew how I’d comment; I would hold onto my kids and leave about 17 pounds behind. Thinking about it a bit more, I realized there were a few more things I’d love to hold onto, and a few I’d like to leave behind.
Let’s start with what I will happily leave behind:
- Angst about moving my mother-in-law to an assisted living community. She’s happy, safe, and well taken care of; I’ve held onto the sadness and guilt for 18 months. That’s about 17 months too many.
- Disappointment about a friendship gone awry. Bad behavior is always a reflection of that person’s integrity; not everyone is the same; some people are just rats.
- Shock over having an investment advisor mis-appropriate a chunk of my kids college fund. This one brings a lump to my throat. Man, it would have made an excellent BLOG post, detailing systemic crimes that even the most honest investment professionals and ardent investigators can’t explain. Live and learn.
What would I hold on to?
- My kids. I realized that the 2017/2018 school year would be the last year of unabashed innocence for my babies. This summer, we will begin looking at colleges and studying for the SATs. Next school year, we will start the sprint to graduation, and then they’ll be gone out of my house. People often ask if my kids will go to school close to home or if they’ll go to the same college? No and no. Right, wrong, or otherwise, they will go fast, and they will go far. It turns out when I taught them to love a great adventure; they were listening.
- My family and friends. My family continues to be a gaggle of kooks, and I know they love me very much. My friends? I have them whittled down to a fantastic few. You know who you are, and I am very grateful for your existence in my life!
- Mr. Rogers and Daisy the dog. I always knew I wouldn’t spend the rest of my life alone; however, I was surprised to fall in love with someone who drove very-fast-cars for fun. How did Daisy the dog make it to my hold on to list? Technically, she’s the heartbeat I spend the most time with; she warms up the bed on freezing nights, she watches me work, and she reminds me to go outside and take a walk once in a while. My cat? I love her too, but I’m pretty sure she’s trying to suffocate me while I sleep.
That’s my list. I’m not a fan of New year’s resolutions. I don’t need a designated day to set goals that I have almost no chance of keeping. Every day I try to eat the right food, exercise and be a good mom. Mostly I get the good mom part right; the rest is a bit of a crapshoot.
So here we are; this is your chance to mentally make your list of what you’ll hold on to and what you’ll let go.
Have a fantastic week!