Working Women Wear-Down

The gray clouds hung low as rain fell all morning long.  Despite the weather, I still made it into the office before 8 am.  Achievement one for the day given the laundry list of meetings and events crowding my calendar.  Still, it was one of those days.  And as I rushed out to a women’s lunch where I had to serve as host, I hoped for the best.

Part self-fulfilling prophesy, part inevitability, simply getting to the club unraveled.  The parking garage for the club was full; despite my early arrival the rain had driven the masses into covered parking.  After roaming one way downtown streets, I found another garage and set out to find the club from a new direction.  Once I got directions from a sympathetic security guard, I arrived at the elevator banks only to have them only go the wrong way.  I walked across the way to another set of elevators only to have none arrive.  I ran up the back set of stairs to the club, but when I arrived at the top the door was locked.  Down I ran back to an elevator bank in hope of finding a way in.  Wet, frazzled, and late, I finally arrived.  Everyone was having similar experiences and trickling in.

After the speaker closed and I dismissed the audience, I stayed for a few minutes to visit with friends.  With only minutes for each of us to spare, snippets from our conversations sounded like this:

“I’m good, fine.  Tired.  Traveling for two months…”

“Such a surprise to get to come.  One meeting released early and tomorrow I head to X city and fly from there to Y city Friday.”

“I can’t make the meeting next week, there’s just so much on the agenda I can’t fit it all in.  That had to give.”

“It’s fine.  Long nights, but that’s what it is, right?  Maybe I’ll be able to get out in time for the social next week.”

We all nodded our headed knowingly, wearily.  Single or married.  Mothers or daughters.  30 or 40 or some other undisclosed number.

It’s more frenzied now, right?  The technology, the work hours, the family calendars packing up.  I realized this week that I didn’t have a 2014 calendar yet and I needed one.  Really?

It’s all good.  Everyone is grateful for and enjoying their jobs, their families, their awards and achievements… it’s just A LOT.  All at the same time.

I don’t have any wise solution as I leave my house before 6:30 am to head to an out of town meeting and hope to be home for a late dinner with the kids.  I did hear someone say the other day that we have to stop glorifying busyness.  Saying ‘I’m so busy!’ like it’s a prize.  I could get on board with that.  Instead, we reward the person who says, ‘I completely relaxed this weekend and didn’t do one single solitary thing but sleep in with the family.’

In the meantime, I know that God says he provides rest for the weary soul (Isaiah/Matthew) and will refresh and strengthen the weary (Jeremiah).  I hold onto that at the center of the really busy times.  I know that at least we’re recognizing the frenzy for what it is.  I know we’re setting limits where we can.  (And if you’re not, start that!)  And I know that we’re all in this together to encourage one another on and even swap kid or errand duties on Saturday afternoon so we can sneak in a nap.