Daily Chatter

Thursday, August 30, 2012

I Dreamt about Another Man

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, it's not going to get better.  It's not.
 

 
We have been living The Lorax since it's release on dvd.  I mean last night my dreams were filled with an extremely long legged man in green dancing around singing, "...how ba-ah-ah-ah-ad can I be?"  I don't think I should be doing anything aside from running so often that I start dreaming about it and humming it subconsciously.

But having that movie in my mind so much did get me thinking about that Unless.  How it applies to everything in my live.  I can't make anyone other than myself to do anything.

Life has tried to teach me this.  I got engaged to the perfect man.  Well, for all but those few things that annoyed me and I silently thought I would change him after we are married.   But once we are married I realize that I had to come to love those things as predictable pieces of my mate if I wanted our marriage to survive. 
 
Then comes children to revisit the lesson.  As babies they try to teach me that lesson.  They won't even sleep when I want them to.  As a toddler they wouldn't do anything I wanted them to. Forget about teenagers.  They don't even hear what I am telling them.   Yet still I try to get everyone else to do things I want them to.  And I still often try to accomplish this without actually telling anyone what it is I actually want them to do.  Have you ever done that?  Expected your family to simply know that you needed XYZ because they should know you?!  Me = guilty.
 
Which brings me to my point.  If it is true that unless someone like ME cares a whole awful lot, it's not going to get better.  It's not.  Then I had better start caring enough to open my mouth and tell those around me that what I need. 
 
How will I do this?  First I won't wait for the super secret spy to offer to "watch" the kids so I can run on the trails without the jogger, I will plan evenings when I know his work schedule will allow it and I will greet him at the door after work and tell him that I am off to run.  I will help the kids understand that mommy has "business hours," meaning that if you want mommy to help with homework, story time, baths, snacks, play or whatever it must happen before a certain time.  Sound harsh?  It shouldn't. 
 
If I can only change one person than I better make sure that I am making that one person the BEST person I can.  Because although I can not make anyone else DO anything, I know that through being an example I can help mold those around me.  And I am not tiring to mold door mats. 
although this one is a great one!
 

4 comments:

  1. Always, always so true. Good point on "business hours". And I adore the finish line mat.

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  2. I love the "business hours" concept. Good for you for setting the priorities straight--everyone benefits from this approach.

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  3. Love this! And thanks for the virtual smack to point out that I need to just accept those little nagging things from dear hubby and move on. He is not going to change. But I can change what I let bug me!

    Lorax huh? Darling daughter has been asking for it but right now we are stuck in Pocahontas and Pocahontas II land. I am getting a bit tired of pretending I am Pocahontas but at least I am not a bunny anymore.

    Now on to answering your 20 miles question....I did 7 at home on my incline treadmill and then wrapped up the final 13 at the gym so darling daughter could be entertained and I would be less distracted. Plus the idea of running 20 miles at an incline terrifies me and will take so long. My pace is significantly slower at home.

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  4. Nicely said! Everyone needs to know that moms have boundaries and needs too. I always figure the family dynamic needs to be reciprocal for everyone to be happiest.

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