I am forever grateful that I lived at a time when we could afford (heartfelt thanks to my hard-working chaddy) for me to spend my time and energy in bringing up our children. Around a quarter of a century all in all. A quarter-ish of my life, if I’m lucky.

There is no job title nor salary that could have sufficiently compensated me to have missed out on those precious years - even in part. It was a small fraction of my life when I zoom out, though it often didn’t feel it at the time.

Being a full-time mum was the hardest and most worthwhile thing I’ve done to date by a long shot and I can’t see anything topping it (bar potentially being a grandma, but this honour has yet to be experienced … fingers firmly crossed).

Life is simple. We make it complicated.

Meaningful relationships matter most. My nearest and dearest might miss me and occasionally think of me when I buggar off (hopefully).

A legal entity won’t. Online followers won’t.

We should always be mindful how we spend our time and energy - our most precious, limited resources - during our short time on this wonderful earth.

We come without stuff, we leave without stuff.

It’s never about stuff.

Reply to this note

Please Login to reply.

Discussion

Only in the past year did I realise what a true blessing it is to have the luxury of being a full-time mum and how deeply I’d love that for my future.

Don't leave it too long Tanja.

Once upon a time (less than 100 years ago) it was the most popular occupation, now rarely so. Society is changing so fast. Good for you.

Is it changing for the good?

Every morning I wake to a perfectly wonderful cosmos beyond judgment. Yes, this world may appear equal parts brutal, though this is its nature, this does not change. Thus to ponder good or bad is to rather distort matters by viewing life through the lens of preferences.

Though I will mention this: less prioritising of stay-at-home-motherhood is symptomatic of the breakdown of heterosexual relationships, as reproduction has always been the purpose of such mate-bonding. If the phenomenon is common throughout society, this situation leads to loneliness and a meaning crisis for many, and ultimately to population decline, does it not?

Is it changing for the good?

If more folk spoke like you, we would leave in a far more harmonious world! Love it.

I love this! I completely agree with you. The few sacrifices we’ve made to have this be a possibility for our family will ALWAYS be worth it.