Open Letter to the Weary Mom

Thewholeheartedhome.com

 

Most people that meet me and my sister can tell right off how close we are. We have always been. My sister is more than I could have thought to ask God for. She is constantly there for me emotionally. She is understanding. Truly hurts when I hurt and she is the biggest cheerleader I have in my life.

 

The crazy thing about us is that we are COMPLETE opposites. So much so, that it can be hard for people to understand how we have grown to be as close as we are.

 

She is an introvert and completely comfortable of being a homebody. In contrary, I am an outgoing personality that always need to be going….!!

 

Which in conclusion makes us completely opposites into following our steps into motherhood.

 

Along with my sister being an introvert and homebody, she also has to learn to manage a chronic illness. One day of errands can bring extreme exhaustion to her body for two to three days after. She battles with constant low energy at times of relapses. During these seasons of her disease, her heart breaks as a mother of three young children. As an introvert and homeschool mom, not being able to take her children out to the park or the library can bring great sadness to her.

 

As her sister, I know there has been moments she wished she was able to more. She has even questioned me, “How do you do it? Even on days I am not tired, I cant do all the running around you do”

 

All though those words are flattering and I respond with a shrug and smile, I am looking at her with envy thinking, “Even on my days of exhaustion I can not sit still and its hard!”

 

Though some think as outgoing and active to be great traits to have, I think it can be overwhelming. The feeling of sitting still confines me.

 

There are days I have no plans except to learn what staying home with doing no housework means but the tingling feeling of doing nothing suddenly begins to overtake me. So I get up to do every chore in the house I can complete, go to the grocery store, work on the blog, and clean again.

 

But every single time, I go to bed later that night feeling like a failure. A failure that just didn’t take a moment to sit and read to the kids.

A failure that only sat still for 10 minutes to watch their favorite movie then got them dressed to go to the grocery store instead.

A failure that did a hundred and ten things on the blog but not responded to my messages because I was feeling too overwhelmed and knew I wouldn’t answer appropriately and personally to each message.

A failure that could’ve spent a hour in my Bible as the kids napped instead of doing dishes.

A failure that made the same dinner I made the week before for my husband instead of making something new.

 

All of this because my mind wants to just keep going and if my body keeps moving then my mind for the moment feels peace about it. Till…… it lays down for bed. Then I ponder on thoughts such as: Why cant I do it all with clarity like others?

How can others do it without feeling some sort of pressure?

I suddenly take my thoughts to other moms who can do it so much better than I can. If only I planned better I can do it. If only I can cross off my to do list by tomorrow then the rest of the week I can do something I enjoy….

 

No matter the personality, the situation, or even the energy we may or may not have, we can always compare to who can do what better. But God doesn’t want us to be comparing, He wants us to seek Him, identify, and to restore ourselves into the plans He has for us, daily, weekly, monthly, and for an eternity.

 

I love Sarah’s’ post his week because of her honesty in what reads as a open letter to the low energy mom. Thank you Sarah for your boldness and encouragement on this topic.

 

Here is Sarah’s post featuring on Salt & Light Link Up….

 

I am easily tired and often have low-energy. I cannot be on the go all the time. If I have two busy days in a row, on the third day I need to do almost nothing. As a new week begins, I have to be so careful to keep at least two- to- three days with no other intensive social contact. On those days, I can take the kids walking or to the library, but play-dates and catch-up’s would be too much. 

 

A morning of grocery shopping with one or two errands exhausts me. It takes a last ounce of effort to put the shopping away once we get home, and even then, sometimes all I do is put the cold stuff away and collapse on the couch. I need two spaces of rest in the afternoon in order to get through dinner hour, bed times, and house tidy up.

 

And there will be times when I am okay and I do too much, and it catches up on me. Especially if my husband is busy with work and church commitments and I am holding the fort down a lot by myself. I’m in one of those periods right now. My anxiety starts buzzing in the background, I’m easily overwhelmed, I am easily irritated, and not even doing normal, Mother Culture things to nourish my mind and soul help.

 

Continue post here.

 

 

Alisa Nicaud

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Natalie Venegas

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