Fighting To Be A Hare

The tortoise won, but I still wanna be the hare.

WTF?

I’ve heard the fable about 100 times, and I’ve probably told it about 30. I’ve also seen the story acted out by a one woman show at the local library.

You know I understand the message. You know I know the lesson.

So, why? Why in the world I am carelessly running through life trying to win “the race”?

A fictitious race. A race that no one cares if I win except me. A race in which my only true competitor is myself. A race which everyone tells me I need to stop running.

Let’s start with the fact that life is not a race! Despite what I have been telling myself for the past 13 years or so, I do not have to meet these ridiculous self-imposed deadlines to have “made it”, to be “successful”, or to have a life that I can be proud of.

The tortoise won the race because he tried hard, was consistent, and never gave up. The hare, well, he was over-confident, boastful, and careless.

In life, in work, in parenting, in mommin’ what really doesn’t matter…

…is that my children arrive at school every single day on time, or that they arrive dressed in their best.

…is if I arrive at pick-up in an over-sized shirt and a messy bun.

…is if my house isn’t immaculate each and every day and if clothes have been sitting in my dryer for a week.

…is if I don’t sign up to be homeroom mom for all three of my children.

…is that I put a blog post up every single day.

…is that I am making lots and lots of money.

So, what does matter?

What matters, more than anything, to those that I love — and yes, they are the ones that matter the most — is that I embrace the tortoise inside of me and that I slow down and enjoy life, the moments that make it up, and the people in it — to the fullest.

By making a conscious effort to enjoy (not endure) life, I will be able to focus on what really does matters, like…

…finding teachable moments in every day happenings with my children.

…ensuring some moments with my kids are not just for teaching, but are simply for play.

…actually seeing their intellectual and emotional growth happen, right in front of my face.

…enjoying the work that I do by not looking at it as work, when possible.

…finding time to bond with my husband, amidst the crazy schedule we both keep.

The truth is, I’m sick of being a hare — it’s unbecoming on me and it makes me half-ass everything. My goal for the rest of 2017 and into the new year….

to embrace the tortoise inside myself.

Are you up for doing the same?

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