When talking with women in my life as of late, there seems to be a common thread: How do you ease your load and replenish your soul when you’ve already pared down your schedule to it’s bare bones? When you’ve quit the extra committees or service opportunities, and you still feel like you’re drowning. When you’ve limited or totally eliminated the extra activities of your family, and you still fell like you’re constantly running. What then?
What if the things that have to get done are enough to drain you dry?
The groceries have to be purchased and meals made. Jobs must be done. Dirty clothes need to be washed. Bills must be paid. Children, and some adults, need to be cared for. Homes must be maintained. Appointments must be kept and transportation arranged. It’s enough to make a girl’s head spin.
What do you eliminate? How do you find relief?
I don’t know. I wish I knew. I wish there were an easy three step process to follow. I haven’t found one.
What I have found, though, is there’s something about sharing my struggles with other women that brings some relief. It doesn’t change my schedule, but it makes my heart a little lighter. I know I’m not alone. I know I’m not crazy or weird. And I find grace and mercy given to me when I won’t give it to myself.
It’s not always easy to do and there is definitely risk involved. There have been some who don’t want to hear the honesty, and they certainly don’t want to speak the truth. But mostly, I’ve found that when I come clean with the struggles of keeping it all together, I’m met with sighs of relief and responses of ‘me too’.
So I may not have an easy three step process to make life more manageable, but I do have a few women who remind me that I’m not alone.
