Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Deep Thoughts by Melissa

What is the Simple Life?

How do we define it?  Do we even know that it exists.

I'm often exhausted from the world that we live in and the country that we reside in.  The expectations that our country upholds for the working hours are insane.  We live in a world were technology doesn't allow many of us to be disconnected enough to get an evening break at home with our children and families, because we are just one email, one call or one text away from a colleague, a client, a boss.

Where it is convenient at times it's just another piece to add to the stress equation.  Everyone deserves a break.

Almost daily my cell phone starts ringing 15 minutes after I leave the office.  Why?  Because people know I'm driving home and they know they can catch me at that time.  Oh, you're driving good.  While I have you...  Ummmm.....I'm driving.  Safety first people.  Bluetooth or not.

It depends on who is calling, but I've stopped answering as much.  Why?  Because I'm not obligated to answer those calls after hours. I should because I'm technically on call 24-7-365 because of my position.  I answer them because I'm passionate about my job.  I care about what I've been hired to do.  It's important to me that I do my job the best that I possible can. I'm also in a supervisory role and I train future managers and it's important to ME that I'm a good model of behavior to them.  This is how I was raised and this is what I believe strongly. BUT. This job only defines a small piece of who I am.

I'm also a Mom and a Wife.  A Sister, a Daughter and an Aunt.  When I get home from my day job, I go into my night "job."  I need time away from work, but most importantly I need time with my family who i miss desperately through (most of) the days.  I need that time with them and time away from what I spend so much of my life doing.  And that is working.

Does it provide amazing things for my family? Yes.  Do I regret some days that I've chosen a path to be a working Mom.  I'd be lying if I didn't question it sometimes.  But this is me.  This is the path I have chosen.

One of my favorite shows is House Hunters International.  Since the Hubs and I have been together we've always talked about packing up, consolidating our life and moving somewhere much more simple.

Yesterday, they showcased two families that relocated to Antigua and Grenada.  AAAAAAAAAAmazing.

It would be hard to make that plunge, mostly because of the relationship I have with my family, but this is our one life.  Our one life to live.  We're over the monotony, the stress, the constant working, the lack of family time.  Is this what I want my kids to know?  Yes and No.  There are benefits to the freedoms that we have, but our country focuses entirely too much on work and not enough on family.  If we want to change that it's is up to my Husband and me.  There is a great big world out there and a lot of it has beaches and oceans.  We'll get there.  I strongly believe that we will.  We'll get that chance.  I just need a sign letting me know that it's a good decision for us to make.


4 comments:

momFITtingitallin said...

ahh yes that phone. IT is a built in leash to everything in my life including my work - well they do provide me with the phone! I too enjoy my job so much and believe in my choices to do so BUT sometimes my obligation to always be available cuts into my family life. ARGH

Sharee'
www.momFITtingitallin.com

Shannon said...

I feel the SAME WAY! It's bad enough that I only get 2 hours in the evenings with my child I don't want that time taken up with emails from work. On Friday I had to leave early b/c Hunter wasn't feeling well yet I still had to work from home while taking care of a sick child AND even had to answer some work emails Saturday night to keep a project on track. It's ridiculous but I guess it's what needs to be done to pay the bills.

[dianegatorfan] said...

We love HHI and always wonder, how do they have $800,000 to spend on a beach home? What would it take for us to do that? Can't we do my job and the hubby's job from Turks & Caicos?

That would be the most amazing experience, and I hope you get to do it one day! (Me too!!)

Gina said...

when B and I went to Jamaica for our honeymoon, we seriously wanted to move there and live the simple life. I hear ya, sister.