You may think that I am posting the following video because of it’s tear-jerking quality or sappy music, but those are not the only reasons. When my daughter talks about being a doctor, I whisper “midwife” hoping it will affect her subconcious. In March, my son will start ballet classes and I should be ready for him to like them less than we had hoped. We want so much for our children, don’t we? Really, we should just want them to be themselves even if we are surprised at who those selves are.
“When I let go of who I wanted her to be and just let her ‘be’ she completely flourished and I reveled in knowing she’s perfect just the way she is.”
It is the first of January, 2010 and I started the day by listening to straggling revelers, plotting my cleaning and cooking path for the day, composing an e-mail, planning my outfit for Sunday, thinking about the coming births for which I am on call, willing away a starting migraine and trying to relax and fall asleep. It was 5am and I would be in better spirits now had I been just sleeping.
Unfortunately, like too many of us, I am a multitasker. As I type this, I am making juice, planning tomorrow’s itinerary and talking, squeezing as much as possible in the little time I have. I am remarkably adept at the physical challenge of patting my head while rubbing my abs and switching hands swiftly. Where has that gotten me in life?
My husband has a marvelous ability to focus and tune everything out but for his task at hand. To an outsider it may look like I preface half of my interactions with him with a plea for permission to speak, but actually I’ve learned that not getting his attention first will land me in a monologue. He has accomplished in this way many great things. I am merely able to do lots and lots of little things.
My two greatest accomplishments did involve some extent of unitasking, I suppose. The brain of a pregnant woman shrinks about 7% because she needs to concentrate on a particular job. She is making a human being and this takes a great deal of focused energy even when she doesn’t realize it.
Studies have shown that multitasking is, in fact, inefficient, but I don’t think that will stop me or many of you from overdemanding productivity from so many of our minutes. I will, however, try to focus on some of my undertakings with a little more zeal for simplistic accomplishment. Perhaps during breakfast with my children or yoga or, at least, during savasana in yoga, when I am supposed to be deeply relaxed. For me, these are great endeavors, worthy of my focus.
