Search
Search
On Time and Chicken

30984_1452646201335_5461609_n-1

All moms teach by example. On this Mothers Day, I feel fortunate that mine taught by setting good ones.

Giving by nature, she also knew where to draw the line. She did not, for example, buy whole chickens unless she was planning to cook the chicken whole.

“It’s cheaper to cut them up yourself,” she told me. “But once you go down that road, spending a lot of time to save a little, it’s hard to turn back.”

Somehow, the remark became a powerful lesson in honoring my time and honoring me.

Half a century later, I have no idea about the relative costs or whole and cut-up chickens. But I would no more buy a whole chicken and cut it up than I would drive 90 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.

Likewise, her instruction to “keep your robe on” when you’re sick stuck with me because, as she pointed out, “otherwise, people will expect you to be back, giving 100 percent.”

She was not a paid consultant on the work-life balance puzzle. But she might as well have been.

Thanks, mom.


One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Me

Ready to Unpack?

Periodically (but never more than once a month), I’ll send subscribers a free electronic newsletter, “Unpacking,” designed for those whose lives are thrown out of balance as they prepare to move to smaller quarters. You’ll learn how sifting through your “stuff” can help you discover your important stories and decide which ones to make space for in your next phase. I’ll even call out for YOUR stories to share with others.  Just enter your email address below to receive the newsletter by email.

 

Please wait...

Thank you for sign up!

Contact Pat

For workshop bookings and to share stories of your own downsizing experience, use the contact form to get in touch.

“Balancing Tips” Newsletter Archives

Pat has issued a number of newsletters with tips and resources for getting your overbooked life back in balance. Click here for copies of past issues that you might find helpful.