So, what are you going to do now that you have finished high school? Going on to College? Going to make something of your life? What do you want to do (read: what career are you going into)?
Well, first, I want to be a wife and homemaker — Yes, I want to be a wife and mother.
What?!?! You just want to be a homemaker? Don’t you want to do anything?
O, yes, I do want to do many things… that’s why I want to be a homemaker and mother and that’s why I want to be married-to be a wife.
You mean a smart girl like you would give up all that to stay home and do nothing?
O, not nothing. I do want to stay home, but I assure you, I will not be doing nothing. I want to stay home because there is so much to do… in fact, there’s so much to do, I’m sure I’m never going to be able to accomplish a fraction of all I’ll want to do.
I can’t believe you’re going to waste your life. To think of what you’re giving up to stay home. To think of the opportunities you will miss, the places you won’t be able to go or the things you won’t be able to do. Kids will just tie you down and will wreck your body and get on your nerves. Think of the prestige or the accomplishments you’re passing up. You’re just going to be a nobody and not make anything of your life. I can’t believe you’re just willingly giving up… seeing how you have such great potential and all!
Years later…
So, do you regret that you didn’t do something with you life – you know, that decision to just stay home and not do anything? Are you sorry you never never got that education or had a good job or made a name for yourself?
O, no; I don’t regret it at all. You see… yesterday morning I got to wake up and say to the LORD and to my husband, Thank you for choosing me and for making me a mother. Thank you for a life of blessings – I could never have asked or imagined all I have been given, all I have experienced and all I have been blessed with – it’s all I never even knew to hope for and more. Some of the gifts I received just yesterday? I received hugs and kisses from eight children, a daughter-in-love and three grandchildren. In addition, I treasure the precious hugs & kisses that came by three cell-phone conversations.
Riches? Fame? Fortune? Blessings? O, you don’t even know. I’m very, very rich. Very rich indeed.
And fortune? —beyond fortune! it’s inestimable!
And blessings? O, I could not even begin to count them.
Fame? O yes… I’m very famous—in fact, I hear my name nearly everywhere I go. There are very few places I can go where one of my fans doesn’t find me and want to talk to me or tell me something. People call out my name every day! I can be in the store or at the park or the library and… I’m so famous, even strangers call my name—they all know me! In fact, some of my biggest fans call me every day! O, wait… one’s calling me now… can you hear it? Moooooooooooooommmm?!?!
Yep, I toldja… it’s all I ever wanted to be… and everyone knows my name; mother.
A wasted life? Ask my husband —or better yet, ask eleven children that call me mother… did I waste my life?
Thank you for writing…
And, yes… in the beginning I had the first questions and then later on I have had the second set of questions. I have even been asked if I plan to go to school and finish my education after the children are gone. I’ll write about this now.
God bless you in your home! —pamela
I was wondering if people really say this to you. I like this post. I enjoy your blog. I have especially enjoyed the motherhood posts!
Hugs.