Tenacity vs. Necessity

"I'm jealous of your Tenacity…" my friend Stevie P said to me tonight. "It’s funny when people say that," I responded.

I am sure that he was saying this because, of course, he knows how hard things can get sometimes with being a single parent.

Life. Is. Hectic.

Every day though, most of us, from all walks of life, spend our days busy as can be. We all wake up, make our bed, brush our teeth, get dressed, go to work, have lunch, keep working, drive home in traffic, make dinner, brush teeth, get ready for bed, and rinse and repeat on that for days on end.

Regardless of our different circumstances the fact is, we all have a number of varied responsibilities. Whether it’s to a pet at home, a family, a spouse, children, or an elderly parent, we all have something making it hectic. Even if you are one of the lucky few that don't have any of the aforementioned, most of the time, you have busy work lives that keep you busy well beyond the time most of us have gone home.

My point to him was not to be unappreciative. In fact, I thanked him for the kind comment, and empathy. It is nice to be seen as someone who tries hard to do what they do.

However, part of me felt that it was an unwarranted compliment. You see, to me, being how I am now, and have always been is what I know, and honestly, what must be done.

This is my life. It is what I HAVE to do. It is on par with all of YOUR days. We must all DO certain things to pay the bills, have a roof over our heads, keep healthy, keep food in our bellies and keep life well, plugging along. Please tell me you are following…

So I ask is it tenacity or necessity?

While you may not all be a single parent, that doesn’t make my situation any more hectic, any more detrimental or important. It is just different.

We all have struggles. My struggle may be harder because I am a single parent, but I assure you there are single parents out there with far more kids than my one. I am sure they struggle as well, and maybe not as much, or maybe more, but definitely different.

I guess what I am trying to say is, while its wonderful that Stevie P felt compelled to compliment me on my ability to keep it together, I want you all to know that I don’t see it that way. This is simply, the cards I have been dealt. This is my life. I love it, even as crazy as it can get.

While I may wish for an easier life at some point, I have to keep myself grounded and remind myself that life won’t be easier, but it will definitely be different.

~Cheers-SLM