When I was a senior in high school I had two afterschool jobs, early-morning seminary, AP English, a play to be in and a "job" as the president of concert choir. I also had a little day planner that I used to try to keep track of everything. Only there wasn't enough room, so I had a lot of sticky notes stuck in it. Add to that the fact that I am a doodler, and the pages looked a little busy. A little panic-inducing.
One night I was sitting in a Choir Boosters meeting with my poor mother who somehow got roped into being president of the Choir Boosters since I was the president of the choir. I was looking down at my little day planner and started to hyperventilate. My mom took away the planner and wouldn't let me look at it anymore.
A few weeks later I quit one of my jobs -- the local movie theater -- by calling them up and saying, "I'm not coming in today, or tomorrow, or really ever again."
So if I had day planner now I think it would look a little worse than it did then. These days I have two children, a full-time job, a calling in Young Women, a household to manage, and a list as long as my arm of preparations to make for foster parenting.
But there is no one to confiscate my little planner. And there is nothing I can quit with a satisfying little temper tantrum the way I did back then.
Well, maybe housework. Whaddya think?
6 comments:
Yep, that one went by the wayside for me a long time ago.
We played hooky from church today just so we could get this house liveable again.
I certainly feel for ya!
Me
I'm so sorry!
I'm especially sorry that this post made me giggle a little. I remember one night when I was about 15 or 16 and we were at Young Womens. A bunch of girls were lamenting about how busy we were - and we were! Just like you, school, jobs, plays, seminary, young womens, etc. And one leader just laughed out loud and said "if you think you're busy now, just WAIT until you're adults!" We were kind of offended because - hello! We were teenagers. Have life crises here. Duh.
but darn it. She was right.
So does this mean I should get rid of the new planner I just got?
Deep breaths... deep breaths... think of IKEA... find your happy place...
You can't quit anything in a huff but you can release yourself from some of it.
I got rid of my planner and now my strategy is to write everything down on our home calendar. It gives me an excuse to stall -- I can't say yes when people ask me to do something w/out checking it first. Also, if there's no room to write anything else, I have to say no.
Lame, but it's helped. Kind of.
Ummm...young women? Ask your bishop if the calling came by inspiration, or if he just thought you'd do a good job. If the latter is true, Ask him for an easier calling (I enjoyed my time as ward emergency preparedness coordinator)
Love,
Michael the P.
I've been doing YW for almost 3 years now. I love it. I can't imagine asking to be released -- not now. When we are actually fostering I might consider it, though. I have a lifelong ambition to be the Primary pianist.
Thanks all!
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