Somedays I feel really old. Like on days when I have to go up and down stairs, even more than one time. It is really amazing to me that my body, the thing I have been taking care of, feeding, clothing, brushing, rubbing...etc....this thing that I have devoted so much time and attention to, is now just abandoning me. My muscles don't listen to me anymore. They won't help me off the couch or out of a chair. My memory doesn't need me; it will go where it wants and do what it wants without my permission. My hair now has a mind of its own. As do my abdominal muscles.
Interestingly, at exactly the same moment in time that my body is abandoning me, so are my children. The children that I have taken care of, fed, clothed, brushed and rubbed for the last 25 years.
Megan, my youngest, is going off to college in the next few weeks. Kevin will be home from his mission in a couple of months but he left me two years ago and will only be home as a visitor from here on out. My big girl Lorraine is a mommy now and hardly needs me at all. She is so accomplished and grown-up, all the way in O-town. And my grown-up boy Brad is the best daddy in the world, making his own way with his little family.
So, the crappy/great thing about motherhood is that if you have done your job correctly, all of your children leave you and you are out of a job. Like my muscles, my children don't really listen to me any more, why should they? I can't tell them anything they don't already know. Like my memory, they don't need me, they will go and do whatever they want without my permission. And, like my hair, they all have minds of their own. Strong willed, super-smart minds that I couldn't be prouder of.
So, good for them and good for me. This old lady is ready to move on into the fabulous future, a new age. I will work on keeping my body and my family together, enjoying both of them as the years progress. Hurray for me!
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
About Me
- Janna
- Everybody knows me and all about me. I am transparent. Luckily my clothes aren't. What you see is what you get, a slightly out-of-shape mother of four almost all grown up children who has been mostly happy being a mom and a wife these last 27 years.
5 comments:
I loved your story. I call you everyday what are talking about, I totally NEED you! I beg and beg for you guys to come up every weekend. I'm so excited to see you guys soon. Do you like your new blog? You better get the word out of your address.
Hooray that you have a little blog now. Loved this post. I think that is the hardest thing I'm dealing with right now, too, is loving my children and raising them just to shuffle them out the door.
A blog from you! I love it!
Janna, 3 months ago that is what I was feeling.....now we have 3 families living with us and I take it all back....... :)
Keep up the writing, it is good to hear your voice in your words, and next, you will be publishing a book!!!
Hi Janna!!! How many years has it been, seriously?? (Brad's wedding I think) What's a guy gotta do to get some one-on-one advisor time these days? I wonder what Andra Spencer is doing right now? She's probably off on some African Safari. Anyway, thank you for the nice comments on Elke's blog. I'll let Casey know what you said. I could always count on you for a self-esteem booster. Who needs Red Bull when you have Janna? Hope we can hang out again one of these decades... :)
-Nick
Post a Comment