Recharging a Battery

I think I began to realize it when I snapped at my kids efforts to entertain themselves with puppets. I had agreed to let them play with puppets, and here I was upset with them because they were playing " too rough " with the puppets. I needed a break. That was all there was to it. I was becoming angry with them over silly trivial things. We were all bored with each other and so were bickering over silly things.

So I did it. I called an old friend, and asked if she would watch one or two of them this evening. She immediately went into planning mode, and by evening time had set up plans for a movie, candy, toys, and who knows what else. And she offered to take all three of the older ones!. This allowed me to attend a meeting with just the baby and two yr old. All in all it went well. I found the house easily, knew a few of the ladies, introduced myself to a few more, and basically had a great evening.

Somehow just being around other ladies who were not like me, but all like minded was just what I needed. It was like an invigorating cup of java and a refreshing glass of cold water all at once. Refreshing, and energizing at the same time. There were college students, married without kids, married with kids, pregnant moms, single ladies, grandmothers, a diverse group with one main goal: to empower women who desire to have a safe, natural childbirth by giving them options and useful information.

There is just something about having other people who have similar opinions, ideals, and goals. Ladies who have been there, done that, and are paving the way for those coming after them. I even felt like I was able to offer a little bit of encouragement and support to other moms who were just starting to look at birth alternatives.

I left the meeting feeling like I had been at the right place at the right time, like I had done the right thing for a change. It was a good feeling. I went from being frustrated uncertain, and pessimistic about the whole evening to joyful, reassured, and confirmed. Weirdness really is a relative concept. Somehow being around a group of people who were also on the "fringe" made me feel perfectly normal. How much fun is that!