I understand why people only post their highlights on social media. A couple of weeks ago, in the interest of being real, I posted about what a difficult morning I was having. By far, most people were kind, understanding, and encouraging, but there were a few who were…not.
I find it so odd that, when a mom has a hard day, there are people who will immediately say things like “I knew you shouldn’t have had all those kids!” or “Girl, you gotta send those munchkins off to school and get them out of your hair!”
Let me say this extra loud for those in the back: just because something is hard, doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.
Imagine for a moment, that I am a cancer researcher. I’ve spent years tucked away in a lab, testing, studying, failing over and over. Finally, I take to my Facebook page to say, “I am crying in the bathroom this morning over the fact that I’ve just not had the breakthrough I thought I would. I’m so frustrated!”
Would you tell me to quit?
Would you say, “You should never have become a cancer researcher!”
Would you tell me to just let someone else do it because I’m clearly reaching the point of burnout?
Would you tell me about that one cancer researcher you knew who became a waitress instead and is now so much happier?
Of course not!!! You would tell me how important my work is, how strong I am for choosing such a difficult job, and how you are so proud of what I do every day.
Why do we treat moms so differently? Why do we treat them as if the difficulties moms face every day are their fault, a result of their poor choices, and that the answer is to escape?
Mama, you are doing the most important job in the world. It is hard. It is supposed to be hard. There will be days that you are certain you won’t make it, but you will. You will make it because you were made to do hard things. Don’t listen to the naysayers, to the quitters, to the ones who doubt your strength.
You were chosen just for those special children in your care. You are the one who knows them best, loves them most, and no matter how hard it gets, let me tell you right here and now, it is worth it.
