“Women today are encouraged by some to have it all: money, travel, marriage, motherhood, and separate careers in the world… However, you cannot do all these things well at the same time. You cannot eat all of the pastries in the baking shop at once. You will get a tummyache. You cannot be a 100-percent wife, a 100-percent mother, a 100-percent church worker, a 100-percent career person, and a 100-percent public-service person at the same time. How can all of these roles be coordinated? I suggest that you can have it sequentially. Sequentially is a big word meaning to do things one at a time at different times. The book of Ecclesiastes says: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”
~ James Faust
I always found this beautiful and inspirational. I had my time where I went to school and was educated, and learned lots of new things, had great hobbies, and tried new things…. I had a career for ten years, attained some prestige, was independant…. I travelled a lot and saw the world, learned about different cultures, made lots of friends…. I met a great guy, had a lovely courtship, enjoyed our engagement, and got married…. Now I am going to be spending a good deal of time focusing on being a great mom and making my children into good citizens and people of fine character.
I may not have everything at once, but I love re-reading this quote every so often and reminding myself I can have it all… at different times. Any woman can. And what I’m doing right now is what I will focus on and put all my attention and heart into, until the season for it ends, and then I will be dedicated to the next adventure of my life, and I will always be able to look fondly back at all my past adventures.
Thank you Penelope!! And for more of her interesting, funny and sweet articles, please check out Penelope's Oasis.
Love this. Granted, I'm not exactly following it right now but it's a nice reminder and great way to think about how to "have it all".
ReplyDeleteRight? I feel like I keep trying to figure out a way to cram everything in all at once, and not really appreciating where I am right now. How is everything for you in crazy mummy land? Everyone back to health?
ReplyDeleteJessica, I need to follow my own advice. This week I overdid it with review posts (when I could be spending time with my son) and I need to cut back and focus on what is most important.
ReplyDeleteYou haven't blogged in a while, missing the graceful postings. I have some new posts I can't wait to publish that are my own, not for a company, but I have to wait for next week now, or else they'll get buried in review posts.