They Say… A Lesson From My Mom
They say…
That you are too old or too young to find a job, or you have too large of a gap in your resume or you are too experienced or not experienced enough or that you have been in your prior job too long or too short
They say…
That you should eat only meat or only vegetables or lots of dairy or no dairy or no sugar or gluten or eggs or the pyramid upside down or right side up. You should eat as little as possible, but not cause food waste or have an eating disorder
They say….
Don’t buy lattes so you can save your money but you should buy moisturizers and makeup and clothes that are flattering and maintain your youth and look professional or look like you are making an effort
They say….
You should hold your baby all the time, you should make sure other people hold your baby, co-sleeping is bad, cribs are bad, put your baby on a schedule, feed on demand
They say…
You should sleep more but make sure you get your steps in, that you should be ambitious and make time to smell the roses, to put your dishes away before you go to bed, to never go to bed angry, to be an early bird or a night owl
This is what I promise you:
They are not in charge of you
They have biases and histories and traumas
They are on a journey and are learning as they go along
They are as confused and as changeable as you are
Whatever they say can be questioned, turned upside down, inside out and backwards. It is based on a moment in time, with a certain set of facts. Don’t be controlled by them. Let their words wash over your skin but not be absorbed into your bones. You are the boss of your own life.
