When this appeared on my Instagram feed, I immediately knew how I’d comment: I’d hold onto my kids and leave about 17 pounds behind. Thinking about it, 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 misappropriate a chunk of my kids’ college fund. This one brings a lump to my throat. Man, that 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 exploring colleges and preparing for the SATs. Next school year, we’ll start the sprint to graduation, and then they’ll be out of my house. People often ask if my kids will attend school close to home or if they’ll attend the same college. No and no. Right, wrong, or otherwise, they will go fast, and they will go far. It turns out that 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 deeply grateful for your presence 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 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 create a list of what you’ll hold on to and what you’ll let go.
Have a fantastic week!