Who should do it then? The neighbor’s daughter?

I can almost hear my mother’s soft voice saying these words to me.

Shall we call the neighbor’s daughter to do your chores?

 

The wisdom of that escaped the teenager me who had to wash the dishes by hand, in the corner of the kitchen that was not sunny or fun and had no view of happy birds playing outside. Poor me.

But I do get it now.

 

 

Who should do my work?

As an emotional adult, I can take responsibility for it, but I still have moments when I see glimpses of that reluctant teenager.

 

I’ve  passed by the clean laundry pile that needs to be folded and put away several times in a day, sometimes even for several days, hoping, wishing someone else would take care of it.  Or maybe the clothes will fold themselves and float into their appropriate drawers. Then maybe on the fifth day, I hear that inner voice that sounds like my mother, who’s going to do it then, the neighbor’s daughter?

I guess not…

 

There are times  when I suffer from the opposite extreme. I exhaust myself with doing, whether it’s gardening, housework, running errands around town or even taking an ambitious walk in the neighborhood.  When I get close to the end of these activities, I so wish someone else would finish that last bit. Could the neighbor’s daughter wash the garden tools and take them inside? After all I’ve slaved away weeding, digging and planting all day! Could she maybe walk the last few blocks back home for me? The day I couldn’t even stand in the shower to clean up after gardening till it was pitch dark, I finally came up with  a solution for this one. When planning activities, chores, excursions, leave enough energy for completion and the return home. No one else wants to finish them for me! The neighbor’s daughter cannot also rest for me! That’s my job too.

 

The most annoying area I sometimes notice myself going emotionally back to childhood and wishing for someone else to do my job is my creative work, my writing.  I have many stories I want to share with you and often I catch myself waiting for them to write themselves. Now this is not always a bad thing, they could be just marinating, taking shape and they will eventually write themselves. But there are times, they’re ready and I’m still waiting for someone else to come and put them down on paper. The problem is when they sit around too long, they might not be willing to be written any more.

So again, I have to remind myself, it’s my job, no one is coming over to do it for me. Strangely, once I sit down with the intention of completing a piece, it goes pretty smoothly.

 

 

 

I’m going to tell you a secret.

 

Many of the things I used to think need to be done, don’t care if they’re done or not.  It’s true!  No one cares if they’re done or not…. not even me!  In another post, I’ll share how to decide what really needs to get done and how to make doing it easier on yourself.

 

The most important and all encompassing place I have successfully stopped waiting for someone else to do my job is leading my own life! It’s my life, and I don’t want anyone else to live it for me! I will choose my path, I will decide what’s best for me and I will not wait for someone else to come and do it for me, or save me like a damsel in distress!

Take charge of your own life!

Maybe this was what my mother was telling me all those years ago!

The neighbor’s daughter has her own chores and her own life to live, tend to your own, dear one.

 

Now that I think about it, we didn’t have an old enough neighbor’s daughter to come and do my chores anyway. What were you even talking about, mama? Hmm.

 

How about you?

Are there any specific things you hope and wish you had a convenient neighbor’s daughter or son to come and do for you?

 

Please let me know in comments here. I’d love to hear from you.

 

much love,