Monday, August 12, 2013

Find Your Life Balance: Find Your Rick Springfield

My most important role (and greatest joy) in life is that of mother.   At times the responsibility of that role has overwhelmed me.  But a few years ago, I learned that to better embrace that role... I had to let go a little.

As I'm sure many of you know, it's difficult to balance kids, career, and community.  But I may have found the key:  Rick Springfield.

Now, does he come help me do laundry or chauffeur the kids? Well, no.
Does he edit my video or give me some great news tips? Uh–uh.
But what he does do is give me a break from reality once in a while.

This was a hard thing for me to reconcile.  After being his fan for 30 years, it wasn't until about four years ago I had a chance to go to my first concert.  It wasn’t easy for me.   I would argue with myself over how "responsible" it would be of me to go.  It was ALL the way in Kansas City.  After all, oh my goodness, I would be gone from my family for 36 hours or so.  But, with the blessing of my husband and kids, I went.  When I returned a day and a half later, guess what?  My kids were clean, clothed, fed, and, well, happy. They survived without me?!? Who woulda thought?

And I was happy, too.

So, now, five or six times a year, my best girlfriend since childhood and I hit the road (or the sky) and go to a Rick Springfield concert.  For that often brief 24–hour period, we are not moms, or software company directors, or news anchors, or PTA volunteers.  We are simply women.

And it is now to the point that the concert is only part of the experience. We see friends we've made at the shows over the years - fellow moms and professionals - who also just take those weekends a few times a year to be 13 again.  I come back rested (okay, not really).  But I do come back re–energized. I come back ready to embrace the things I truly love in life - kids, career, and community.


So my advice to you:  Find balance in your life.  Find your Rick Springfield.

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