5 Comments
User's avatar
Cab's avatar

Wheeeeew...... What a relief!! Thank you for forging on ahead on the debris strewn path and making the way clear!!

There is so much soul food in this!

Expand full comment
Michele B. Voss's avatar

I have always loved the word nowhere becoming "now here." Your words here surrender to that possibility. ~~ The possibility that within organizing, planning and contemplating "having it all," we can let go, breathe and surrender to the fluidity of "now here." So much possibility and a bit more gentle sanity peeks through. Thank you, Maureen.

Expand full comment
Claudette's avatar

Here is what popped into MY head when I read this: I spent the bulk of my child-rearing years as utilitarian mom. The pragmatic, plan and organize, make sure everyone stays on track approach to parenting, mostly for my own sanity, which only led to a slight twinge of regret now as the empty nest looms that I wasn't more present.

Honestly, we do the best we can with what we know, but I do recognize that my obsession to keep order might have interfered a little with the 'stay in the present moment parenting' style I desired to adhere to since the early newborn days. It was (continues to be) exhausting and it's only in hindsight now when I consider that the phrase "embrace the chaos" should have been taken at face value (even though I still twitch a little at the mere thought).

Meanwhile, with teenagers still in the house, I guess there's no time like the present to let go of the obsessions and live a little in the present moment. (Or direct them to the broom closet. Hah.)

Expand full comment
Maureen Elyse Gilbert's avatar

Absolutely agree we’re all doing the best we can and I for one drop a lot of balls 😬 I tried to find the balance between messy enough to be fun and clean enough not to get a call from OSHA but what that often meant wasn’t a well curated balance as much as a bi polar existence vacillating between chaos and control freak 😂

Expand full comment
Claudette's avatar

Exactly. Same for me. 😊

Expand full comment