A couple years ago, a boss (and friend) told me, "How do you eat an elephant? Why, one bite at a time." Of course, we weren't sitting front of an actual elephant, but a very big project.
The past week has been tough for my gaggle. As I wrote last week, we lost a friend and then Daddy Goose, Brother Goose and Lil' Miss Goose got sick. Yesterday, was a soccer game, baking cookies for Brother Goose's school auction and memorial service. I too started feeling the bug and by last night I had a full-blown cold. With our emotional/mental state and our bodies not cooperating, it has been hard to keep up with laundry, dishes, floors and other chores.
As I looked around today, I became overwhelmed. Feeling the way I physically feel today, how am I going to get my house in order for the week ahead? So, I decided the best course of action was to watch football and baseball all day and let the chores wait until I felt better. Then Brother Goose dropped the bomb, "Momma, I just want clean sheets to sleep on." (He had had an accident last night, so for quiet time he was going to be sleeping on the mattress with a blanket underneath and one one top of him.) He had no idea his statement would take such an affect on me, frankly neither did I, but just after he said it, my eyes welled up with tears and I lost it.
What kind of a Momma am I? Here, I am allowing my 4 year old to sleep on just a blanket! It was time to "man" up and get to it...one bite at a time. Laundry was my first bite. Dishes were next...and before I knew it, I wasn't so overwhelmed any more and my house was looking much better!
I only have a cold. There are men and women battling breast cancer, undergoing chemotherapy/radiation that get up everyday and provide clean sheets for their children to sleep on.
That's how cancer patients get things done...one bite at a time. One day at a time. One hour at a time. Someday's its one minute at a time.
The next time you find yourself (or know a cancer patient) with the overwhelming task of cleaning your house, raising your children, or battling for your life remember the even the mighty elephant in the room can be eaten one bite at a time.
Always ~ Momma Goose
Fantastic post! I had a really tough day, and this put it all into perspective.
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you, Mrs. Monologues!
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