My Many Accomplishments

It might be said by some [including myself] that I avoid people that I knew in high school like the plague.  Not because I think they are bad people-some of them are and some of them aren’t just like any other random group in the population-and not because I am embarrassed about myself, my family, or my life.  I actually like all of those things, and think that I have done an exceptional job in all three categories so far.  No, the reason I hate running into people from high school is because they almost always have the same questions and the same reactions to those questions.

What have you been up to?

Oh….really….isn’t that….nice.

And they mean “nice” like ”I not-so-secretly think you’re an idiot”, not nice like awesome.  While these people that I run into tell me about their accomplishments-graduating college, getting some type of out-of-the-home career [I believe SAHM is a career too!], some of them buying their first homes and/or traveling the world, I always nod politely and tell them how wonderful it is that they did so well.  I always knew they would-etc. etc. etc.  But when it comes time for me to tell them about my life they always have a problem with it.

Most people are at least silent in their contempt and disapproval, which I suppose is better than nothing, but I have actually had people tell me that I could have “done so much more” with my life.  I happen to think I did exactly what I wanted to with my life and so that makes my accomplishments just as wonderful as theirs-even if it isn’t as glamorous and doesn’t pay as well.

I am a mom-that means I work 24/7 for no pay.  A lot of people wouldn’t do that.

I am a stay at home mom-that means that I have enough dedication to live in the land of my 3 year old.  That’s like living in a house run by an angry taxicab driver who speaks only broken english.  I have enough guts to spend my entire day rubbing PB&J out of the carpet, wiping poo out of his hair [he's still pottytraining!], making him 3 meals and 2 snacks, cleaning the house twice, and generally chasing him around while trying to simultaneously teach him morals, manners, reading, writing, numbers, colors, shapes, songs, and basic life skills like how to brush his teeth and drink from a cup without a lid.

I am pregnant-While that’s not an accomplishment in itself, it does make my daily life just that much harder…somedays getting out of bed is an accomplishment, depending on how sick I am.

I have many accomplishments, and I accomplish many things every day, but those accomplishments-having dinner ready on time, getting my three year old to take a bath without a fight, teaching him a new song about animals, my son going in the potty once or twice that day, how much my son and husband love me, and how happy my husband is at the end of the day-are not generally the type of accomplishments people my age care about unless they have families of their own.  Most of the people from my high school don’t have families-so they don’t think my accomplishments “count”.   They very rarely even understand them. 

It is a little disheartening to tell someone about accomplishments that you are so proud of and have them look back at you blankly or tell you straight out that they think your accomplishments are unimportant.  Especially when those little things are what you are most proud of and apart of your lifelong dream.

That’s why I don’t talk to people from highschool-our definition of “accomplishment” is just too different.