More and Less

The machines are humming away washing dishes and laundry....turned the tv off...Georgia finally gave in for an exhausted getting 4 molars and miserable nap...and I now sit and ponder...

This economy is teaching me new things about being an adult. I don't know how long I've technically been an adult...out of high school...out of college...out of the house...since I got married...since I had a child...not yet, since I've still got stuff at my mom's house? I'm concluding there are ages and stages of adulthood. The economy is ushering me into a new one...

I've been thinking of how much more is required of me right now and what to adjust in my life to make that happen and what not to give up.

We live a simple life. We try to stay focused on our Team Gusy list: get out of debt, live well and intentionally on a budget, spend the precious little time we have together as a family focused on our family, and make plans for our future.

It's hard to keep the economy out of our home, and we try to be level headed about all things and think long term. But we face uncertainty, too. Every week it seems there might be less: less money if state funding presses the district to cut our contract days and less money if the plant loving public decides not to beautify their lawns this year. Yet we bring home more too: more stress, more anxiety, more grading, more stories of our friends and colleagues hurting, worrying, and dealing with frustration.

What to do?

Dive into good books, THE good book, turn off the tv, drink more water, go for more walks, play more games, break out the yoga mat, tickle Georgia more so we laugh too...sustain an ongoing effort to both cope and distract.

I think no one is immune, even Georgia...who is spending more time at the sitter's the days she is there because of increased work demands for us both. I want so much for us--as a culture--to think more of our children, especially at a time like this.

I had a prof. who told us that the best thing we can ever do for our students is show them what it means to be an adult who comes to work even when it gets tough. Yesterday I listened to speeches about hero "journeys" and I was almost in tears. My students--such a small representation of teens who live in a small town with tractor parades--have overcome many hardships and exist in chaotic lives. Sometimes I don't like the way they cope in my classroom, but for the most part, they truly do what they can. They have more and less, too.

So as my workload increases and my husband works more, I try to keep the stress at bay, my mind goes to those who are losing work and seeking work. Isn't it easy to think oh, they have it worse? And isn't it tempting to think, they have it easier? Everyone is in the more and less paradox. The demands are different, yes, but the same. What if we were to look at ourselves as all in the same situation of more and less? Would we complain less? Would we value one another more? Could we respect each other for living the paradox, too? Would we be more willing to come alongside each other and carry whatever burden there is? I'm going to try. I think that might be what this stage of adulthood is about.