Every single day, I’m living my best life. I wake up mom to the three most amazing kids. I wake up wifey to the most amazing husband. I work full time in a flexible, laid-back environment, where I help make dreams come true. And every single day I’m trusted as a volunteer at schools and church.
Do I enjoy being a mom to those wonderful kids every day? No. Absolutely not. Some days, when they’ve left their shoes in the living room again. Or, they need more money for another school fee. When I’m tired, and all I want to do is sleep, but there’s more homework to help with. I don’t like it. At all. But on the nights that my little guy snuggles with me watching Nat Geo Wild. When my 15-year-old laughs, and tells me that talking to me is like talking to a friend. Or, watching my oldest walk over from teaching KidsMin to grab communion for all of the littles. Those times remind me, I’m living my best life.
Are there days my husband drives me insane? Yep. Oh, yes. When he can’t find the pet spray, that’s in the pet cabinet, saying he’s already looked there. As I walk past the dirty clothes on the bathroom floor, for the third day in a row. Or, when his alarm goes off forty-five minutes before he gets out of bed, and he snoozes it six times. I’m not a happy wife. At all. But, when he texts to ask if I want to go to the theater tomorrow for a movie I’ve been wanting to see. Or, when the dishes are washed, because I’ve cooked dinner. When, even though I’m the morning person, he wakes early on a Saturday to let the pups outside. Those times remind me, I’m living my best life.
Does working every single day always bring fulfillment? Nope. It does not. When I get the sixth phone call of the day, with the caller asking the same question as the previous five. In torrential downpours when I’m walking more than a block to my car. On the days I’m sending the same email, to the same seventy people, requesting help, because I still haven’t had the needed response. I could skip work. I could sleep in every day. But on the day a colleague stops me in the hall to say seeing me makes her happy. Or, when I receive an unsolicited email acknowledging my hard work. On days my work friends, feel exactly like family. Those times remind me, I’m living my best life.
When I’ve worked all day, do I usually want to volunteer all night? No way. Of course not. Those evenings church band rehearsal is likely to last for two hours. Days I head from work to a sports game my kiddo isn’t even playing in, because I volunteered for concessions. Saturday mornings, when I could sleep in, but I’m walking down the road for clean-up. I could not show. I could definitely stop responding to requests. But, on the days other parents are working concessions so I can watch my daughter play her favorite sport. When I’m stopped after church service and told the music was wonderful. As I meet new people alongside whom I’ve built a twenty-foot tent. Those times remind me, I’m living my best life.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
Living My Best Life 