Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Defiance

I realize that this is a rather obvious statement, but I am daily coming to the conclusion that there are those people in my life whom I will NEVER please. I will never wear the right thing, say the right thing, come at the right time, I will always be too rigid, too strict with my children, I never listen enough, nor do I talk enough. In short, I have come to the conclusion that it is not what I do, it is me, myself that will never be good enough for these people/or this person.

As sad as that may sound, it is actually extremely freeing. I no longer have to try...I will no longer try. I am going to be myself. I will be who I am, the person who my husband is proud of and whom my children love. I will wear, do and say the things that are true to myself. I have been trying to be someone else in my efforts to be this evasive "perfect person" and you know what, I am not perfect.

This is not to say that I am not trying to better myself. Daily, I strive to overcome my faults and challenge myself both physically and intellectually. But I need to strive for the perfection God is calling me to and focus on that, as opposed to stressing about what these people/or person is going to think. I feel like I have wasted an inordinate amount of precious time and energy trying to be someone who is not me and who is not gaining in virtue.

So, I hereby announce that I am finished with this charade. (I sound much braver right now that what I will actually be in real life, but oh well! :) ) I will live how I know I am being called to live and be the person God asks me to be (by His grace). I will passionately adore my husband and love my children with wild abandon. I will be proud of my upbringing. I will not apologize for the things that made me who I am today and I will not pretend to wish it were otherwise. I will always try to be respectful, but I will also respectfully request that I be allowed to be happy in myself and my family.

12 comments:

Heather said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heather said...

You go girl! Good for you! :) Hmmmmm....what brought this on? :) J/K

Elizabeth said...

I second Heather. Good for you. You have nothing to apologize for.I am inspired. :)

M. T. said...

XOXO
We should start a Young Mother's Suffrage group. :) ;)

Wife of a Soldier said...

Yay! It's always much more fun to start laughing in amusement when "those people" try to get you down! :)

Anonymous said...

Unto thyself and God be true. Wow you sound like someone I know...seems like some of me has rubbed off on you after all. I love you and will always be proud of you and all you are and do.

Daddy

Little Things said...

Thank you guys so much for understanding!! I think that young Catholic moms are so under attack. We so go against the modern idea of "womanhood" and are reminded of that on a daily basis. I will say, it is far easier to recieve criticism from strangers than from those whom you would hope would be on your side.

M. T. said...

I've been thinkin' of this post after a long day with a certain overbearing person in my life and I have this phrase bouncing around in my head:
Being is better than doing.
And you are one of the best ppl I know at "being"
Keep it up, girlie!

one muse more said...

During a long venting session with a Roman friend last night, she gave me an absolutely amazing quote from one of our favorite authors:

"If I am going to be a saint, I am going to be Saint Evelyn Waugh. Not anybody else."

In other words, take me or leave me, I am who I am.

Stick to your guns, woman! :)

Dawn said...

Great post! Sounds very wise. Very inspiring.

Elizabeth said...

I keep thinking about this post and how I could write one quite similar. Just know I keep praying for you and thinking of you.

Anonymous said...

Its about time you gave yourself this slack!!! You are an amazing mother/wife!!! Look how happy, healthy and holy your family is!!!! I am so proud of you Jess! I hope some day I can be half the wonderful person you are, and can be as totally dedicated to my vocation as you are!!! Never let anyone put you down! I love you sooo much!!