(This is a post I wrote a long, long time ago, but did not publish. It got lost somewhere in 2020 between I Hate Humanity and I Hate Technology posts. Definitely posts that I had enough sense NOT to publish. But I just found this one and wanted to share cause it’s a new year and well, why the heck not? Hope you enjoy it.)
So you know those really corny memes that pop up on your Facebook nearly every single day that are all about loving what you do and who you are and crap like that?
Well, this post is going to be something like that. Sorry.
A few weeks ago, I signed up to help bring snacks to my son’s Cross-Country meets, and this week I got put on carrot duty.
I know. Riveting. But stay with me.
So, I packed up 40 individual bags of baby carrots, stuffed them in my trendy red cooler, and then made a cute little sign to stick on the cooler so the kids would know, hey, there’s carrots in here! You should eat them!
I’ll admit, I was pretty proud of my sign. It took me like 15 minutes to find a cartoon carrot wearing running shorts and another 10 to add the line “Cross-Carrots. Catch Them Here!” When Tommy saw it, he cracked up and told me it looked great. One of the best things about that kid is that he never discourages my weirdness.
Anyways, after the meet, a couple of the kids and one of the coaches made a point to tell me they liked the carrot sign. I laughed and said thank you. Another parent standing nearby asked what they were talking about, so I lifted my cooler and showed him. He also laughed and said he admired my talents. I sort of rolled my eyes and said, “Yeah, that’s what I do now that the kids are in school. Arts and Crafts all day. It’s sad really.”
Now, I said this in a funny, self-depreciating way, and thought nothing of it. The man laughed, which was the goal, and all seemed right with the world. But as Tommy and I headed towards the parking lot he got weirdly quiet and then asked, “Mom, why did you say that about your picture?”
“Say what?” I asked.
“About it being sad that that’s what you do now. Arts and Crafts.”
I could tell by the tone in his voice that he was really bothered by this, and so I answered, “Oh, I’m not actually sad. I just meant…” and I trailed off, trying to find the right words, but Tommy spoke up before I could.
“I know you’re not sad, but it sounded like you were putting down what you do.”
We looked at each other for a second and then I said, “Yeah, I guess I kind of was. I was just trying to be funny. Making signs and bagging carrots and a lot of things Mom’s do aren’t life-saving, world-changing things, ya know?”
Then Tommy ‘memed’ me. “I really liked your picture. And I like all the stuff you do for our family, especially the fun stuff you come up with. You should be proud of that.”
And then I bawled like a baby.
Not really, but I would have if I hadn’t been huffing and puffing across a hilly cross-country course to get to the car which was parked 5000 miles away. (Little tip from me to you, if your kid joins cross-country, you are also joining cross-country. After 3 season, I have the knees of an octogenarian.)
But his words did stick! So, now I’m gonna tell you that I am proud of that silly little sign. I’m happy that it made other’s smile. I’m proud that I’m able to stay home with my kids. I’m proud when I wash the front window and sweep away the dust from the mantle, and I’m proud when I scrub away that nasty yellow glob of piss and hair that conglomerates on the back of the toilet. Have I mentioned I’m writing a book? I’m up to 33,000 words, the most I’ve ever written in my life, and it’s a romance, and I’m damn proud of that, too. Mostly though, I’m proud of the brilliant kids I’ve raised, especially the teenage boy who sees value in his mama and ain’t afraid to let her know it.
Now I’m rollin’ (rollin’) rollin’ (rollin’) rollin’ in the happy.
Because BECAUSE is not an answer! 