You've all heard the saying, 'If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?' So, does it?
I've been thinking about this all day. If I say something, but nobody in my family really listens, did I even say it? What about if I do the dishes, but nobody notices, did I really do them? All this exercising; if it doesn't make a difference, shouldn't I not be sore?
Ok, so I know that the things I do and say are noticed, if by nobody else but Heavenly Father. However, sometimes it gets really frustrating. I feel like the only thing I really do that matters is nurse Sophi. If I didn't, no one else could and she would die. But everything else, it doesn't really matter to anyone. So, should I just stop doing it? Would they start to hear and notice if it didn't happen? Maybe I will experiment with that!
Does anyone else ever feel this way? What do you do to get past it?
8 comments:
Well, I figure with most of the housework -- it's my job, I better do it.
As far as telling my kids to do something, if it's something I really want them to do, I make sure they hear.
Either with consequences or getting on their level to tell them.
Usually, it works, sometimes I just cry. :)
I blogged about that not too long ago...
"If I clean the house at night and it's messy again first thing in the morning, did it really happen?
More pressingly: if no one sees it clean, does it even matter that I did all that work?"
I didn't get the cosmic answer I was seeking, but at least I learned I wasn't the only one who felt that way!!!
Well, if you just quit doing things, then yes, others will notice them not being done. Maybe not at first, but they will notice. However, instead of a reaction of thankfullness in all the work you've done in the past, the reaction is usually more quarralsome and confusion ensues as to why these things aren't done NOW.
That's the only answer I have come up with. Sorry.
Sariah's comment reminded me of a joke I read not too long ago. I'll paraphrase.
One day a husband came home to see his unwashed children playing wildly in the yard unsupervised. The house was a disaster, the food not cooked. Everything was in disarray. His wife was nowhere to be found.
Finally he found her in the bathtub, lounging in the luxurious bubbles.
"Oh hi, honey," she said casually. Then, in response to the expression on his face she said, "you know how every day you ask me what I did? Today I didn't do it."
(of course the joke was better before I re-told it, but you get the idea.)
I've heard heather's joke before. It's a good one and totally on the ball!
I was actually going to write Heather's story, but she beat me to it. I have felt the same way, many times. Unfortuantely I haven't found the "magic" answer and it still happens from time to time... *sigh*
There is no magic answer...I've heard Heather's excellent story as well. And unless you choose to experiment with it, you're just stuck with the endless cycle. Eventually the kids get big enough to be of real help, and for a few years it actually works! And then it doesn't again...then they're all grown up, and you will actually miss the chaos of these earlier times. It's not fair, but that's life. Sorry. :)
I have friend who's mom went on strike for a few days. It was really funny! She put on a bathrobe, made a picket sign, and marched in front of her house shouting "Mom on strike". She was making a point to her family (who have the best sense of humor), and making the rest of us laugh too.
Even though she did it for fun, it is sometimes tempting!
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