Home sweet home. And Saturday, darling Saturday. I got to see plenty of stressed-out mommies at LaGuardia this week. How about you? How was your week? Anybody else out there stuck in Terminal C for 23 hours? No? But I bet you had your own stuff this week, didn’t you?
Look, this life we lead (I don’t need to tell you) is hard. We have to be disciplined as a drill sergeant, dexterous as Houdini and as organized as the White House Chief of Staff. It’s go, go, go all week, every week, baby. They count on us. It’s our job.
But, Mamma, we are not a robot. And our lives are not lived solely for the purpose of being productive and organized. Life is easier when we are productive and organized, I’ll grant you. But that’s not why we’re here.
Take a minute today, take the whole day if you can, and revel in the joy of being a mom. Do something fun. Remember fun? Let go of whatever Shoulds are weighing you down, and enjoy motherhood.
Play, darling, please play. Enjoy those children whose health and safety and manners you spend so much time guarding and nurturing. They are wonderful. Look at those smiles!
Play!
Is that allowed? Can mom have fun? Aren’t I just supposed to set up the playdate and then watch on the sidelines to be sure they’re all safe? Provide rides and snacks and Band-Aids as needed?
No, thank God, we are allowed to get down on the floor and play with the blocks. Or the Legos. Or the play dough. We are allowed to play Frisbee (which my children love that I do, even though I’m the worst) and soccer and baseball. We are even allowed to climb trees (it’s gorgeous up there, magical, you should try it!). Dance in the kitchen! I have a treasured picture, snapped by my husband, of me and my then two-year-old son dancing to “Say a Little Prayer for You” in our kitchen; I still remember that night. The best.
Please, set you to-do list and your dignity aside today, and play.
Life is short and, as they say, this is not a dress rehearsal. We get one life to lead, just one.
Commit to joy today, please? Commit to play! And I will too.
With love,