Prioritizing Family

 

Never forget, your family should always have priority over your work. 

Mary Kay Ash

My daugher was sick with the stomach flu, and my three year old grandson was looking like he might be too.  Her significant other was away and she needed help.  She was too ill to meet the needs of her child healthy, let alone if he was sick.  Of course, I went there after work yesterday, staid as long as I could...went home for a few hours before I had to make a choice:  Call in the next day and go back over to spend the night in case help was needed or see how they make out on their own. When I checked in at nine I realized she was too ill to get my grandson ready for bed.  I was going to go over and knew I had to call in the next day because I wasn't sure what kind of night we would have. Thank God, I called in because I slept very little.

 Prioritizing family is not always as easy as it seems.  Sometimes other varibles in the form of questions come in like: Can I, and those dependent on me, do without the income if I stay home to help? What if I get sick and have to delay my upcoming dental surgery which could have greater negative effects (if they ever call for an appointment that is)? Maybe, others need this "helping" opportunity more than I do?  Maybe they would be received better? How irresponsible does another sick day make me look in the eyes of my employer and team? My students need me? (That, I know, is ego talking lol...my work role is not taht significant) Is my professional image more important than being there for my family? 

As a human in the smaller social pack: family, I am just one small cog that makes the wheel go around. In  the larger social pack: school system, community, city, nation etc...I am even smaller ...sigh! So, in such situations we need to ask, "Where am I needed most and how much will my presence as such and such be missed?" 

 This "I" in the question is the physical body and mind with its unique set of skills, traits, and  connections with those that might need the help or those who will be missing out on the help. Too often ego confuses us when it steps in with, "I need to be needed! Where do I, as ego, get best served when this body and mind serve?" 

Of course, those are not wholesome reasons for helping....but as far as cogs go...maybe we need to look at where our cog is needed most. How will the missing cog, we represent, affect the entire wheel? 

I don't know...I am rambling in my sleep deprived state...lol

All is well! (Hope...all, including this body, stay well)