My heart skipped a beat when I just drove around the bend on the highway. There was a long line of stopped cars a couple of hundred feet away.
I just had enough time to get home pick up my daughter and drive her to her first band concert at school. She was so excited about it. She had a small speaking part, about one of the songs they were going to play.
Just before she left for school that morning she reminded us both, her Dad and me that we had to come back home early. I had told her “Don’t worry; we will be home in time”
Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Finally I got out of the meeting at work. It had lasted much longer than I anticipated. Luckily, there was enough time to pick up my husband who worked a couple of blocks down the road and make it home in time.
Now, looking at the traffic jam my head suddenly become a jumble of questions. There was no way to make it in time. Who will take her? How is my daughter going to make it in time for her concert? Is she going to miss her first band concert? I knew she would be devastated. She had practiced and worked hard on all her music pieces.
I called one of her friend’s mom and asked if she could pick my daughter and take her to school along with her daughter. She was glad to help.
So, one problem solved but “am I going to make it in time?” the question still remained. Finally we made it school 10 minutes past the time the concert was supposed to start.
My husband said, “just pull over at the side and you go in, I will find parking”. I got out of the car and almost sprinted inside. My heels made loud noise in the long empty hallway leading the auditorium. I did not care.
Just as I approached the door of the auditorium I heard an applause followed by song “Oh Christmas tree”. My heart sank, that was the song my daughter was supposed to talk about before they played it.
I missed her speaking part. They played two more pieces after that. After the concert I waited nervously for her to come back from the band room.
I looked at her; she was fighting back the tears. She did not want her classmates to see her cry. All she managed to say was “But, you promised!”
I wanted to cry too.
That was the day I made decision, I was not going to let others control my life. No one but I decide how and with whom I spend my time.
Hard part was I loved my work and what I did for a living. It was a part of my identity. I could not see myself as a stay at home mom. I don’t have anything against stay at home moms. That is what they desire and do then more power to them. But, it just isn’t me.
It took me some time but finally I made the decision of not trading my time for money. My time and the time I get to spend with family was too valuable for me.
Although it took me some time, perseverance and planning it is the best decision I ever made.
Now, I get to arrange my work around my life and I don’t have to fit in my personal life around my work schedule anymore.
Have you ever faced such a dilemma? How did you deal with it, what did you do?