Mother Knows Best
Near the end of May I drafted a list of summer resolutions – several very lofty goals for the months of June and July. I was certain I’d be able to accomplish them all since, as an educator, I have two entire months off. But looking back over those aspirations, I now realize I had essentially set out to accomplish all my life’s goals in 8 weeks and I learned one week into June that wasn’t going to happen.
There was a party I’d been looking forward to attending for weeks. Not only were guests going to receive fabulous swag bags, but the event was also going to give me a chance to network with the editors of a publication I want to freelance for and bring me one step closer to achieving southern belle socialite status. But the same day of the party I went for a run, scheduled a lunch meeting and an interview for a freelance story I was working on, and I had to pack for the skirt! Creative Conference, which I was leaving for the following morning. At the end of the day something had to be sacrificed and that something ended up being the swanky party. I was crushed (especially after I learned what was in those swag bags), but I learned a valuable lesson.
In December, I signed up for Reverb 10, a project designed to help writers and other creatives develop resolutions for 2011 through a series of writing prompts. It was such a success the organizers decided to keep it going and they send out monthly prompts. Just a day after missing what everyone called the best party of the year, I received June’s Reverb prompt which was: What can you let yourself off the hook for?
I instantly knew the answer. When I was a teen I was always eager to be involved in any and every extracurricular activity that wouldn’t cost my parents much money and that would look good on college and scholarship applications. I was so busy with that and my massive amounts of homework that I only slept four hours a night through much of high school. Concerned about my well being, my mother would always say to me, “Baby, the world wasn’t made in a day,” which was her wise Southern mama way of saying, “Girl, chill out!”
Mother really does know best. It’s time I let myself off the hook for accomplishing all these crazy summer goals. Yes, I’ll continue networking and freelancing, but to think I’m going to become a one-woman media empire in two months is ridiculous.
The world wasn’t made in a day and my writing dreams won’t come true in two months. And finally I’ve realized, that’s OK. Thanks, mom.
Your mom is exactly right in saying that the world wasn’t built in a day. I often times find myself all over the place and have to take a moment to collect myself.
The good news about the B’ham Mag party is that there will be more to come & we will make sure that you know about them before hand! :0)
I really enjoyed reading this…makes me put some things into perspective that I have been trying to achieve. Thanks you!!