Day #9 - 30 Day Writing Challenge...Life after Surviving Childhood Cancer

The other day I sat down to write and got interrupted.  Then I tried again and ended up being too sleepy to write.  Again I thought about it....and decided that I'd rather veg on the couch and check out.  I've been thinking about what I'm going to write next because there's been so much going through my head this week.  Then I realize it's just been a really long week.  With scans on Monday, I can just write the rest of the week off.  At least, that's my excuse.  I think it's a pretty good one so I'll go with it.

I've been trying to direct my focus more these days.  Knowing that I need to write (at least that's what I'm challenging myself to do) and hoping that some clarity will come through this writing process has driven me to prioritize.  I realize that I just can't do it all.  Wow, that's even hard to write.  I thought I could and I wanted to.  I've even tried.  But I think that's what makes me so crazy, scattered, irritable....I just end up getting frustrated with myself.  Huh, what a concept.  My friends, my husband, my mom and everyone around me tell me I do too much.  I just laugh at them and say "whatever" sarcastically.  They know me too well.  I do it because I can and I want to.  Now, I'm realizing more and more that I can't...and I don't want to.  I'm selling myself short because when life is this chaotic, I sell myself short on other aspects.

Just yesterday, I was with Bridget since she doesn't go to school on Friday mornings.  After breakfast for her and coffee for me, I just wanted to get 30 minutes in of "emailing".  I think that was the impossible mission for the day.  "Mommy, look at this...Mommy what is this....mommy, how do you spell...Mommy.....help me get dressed.....".  That 30 minutes never quite happened.  I actually didn't get as frustrated as I sometimes would have and just embraced the moment.  It can wait.  It can all wait because what is more beautiful and special than witnessing my little 4 year old (almost 5) mentally preparing herself for kindergarten, going over numbers and letters and being so proud of herself for knowing.  I thought, WOW.  She is so ready.  Heck, I'm ready too but in a different way.  These moments are going to be few and far between, so I'll be damned if I'm going to let my own compulsion overcome my chance of just "being" with my girl.  It doesn't happen often and most of the time the girls play really well together.  But it will be in the blink of an eye when both of my girls are doing their own school work, off with friends and not want to be around mom and dad much anymore.  (Well, most of the time, we're not going to give them too many of those options ;-))

So, I've decided.  Instead of trying to do everything at all moments of the day, I'm going to "let it ride".  Fundraising, work, organization, school (although that might come sooner than later), these things will all be there and ready for me when I'm ready for them.  But my family and my girls won't always be.

I'm sure I'll find another crazy thing to do or try, but I'm hoping I can just experience it....not be compulsive over it, which I am well aware is my personality.


My baby G's own creation of a book of desserts.  I just love it and am glowing with mamma pride.
The sentence she wrote about herself is "The author once had cancer.  She is a survivor now.
How proud I am of both my girls.

Here's to Letting it Ride!