Joke

Being Torn

At work, you think of the children you have left at home. At home, you think of the work you've left unfinished. Such a struggle is unleashed within yourself, your heart is rent.

- Golda Meir

Being torn seems to be an accepted given for women who run a home and also have other work. Many of us have tried to be superwomen and have almost pulled it off. Yet even when it appears that we are "making it" and successful in both arenas, we are aware that internally we feel torn and guilty in relation to our family. Frequently, this results in our taking our frustration out on our children, which results in more guilt. We feel like a violin string pulled taut and about to break.

Perhaps it is time to sit down with our families and tell them how we feel. They probably need to hear that we really want to be with them and that we do not know how to balance our lives. They may even feel relieved to know that our lives feel over-whelming (which everyone but us has admitted!).

Mediations for Women Who Do Too Much
- Anne Wilson Schaef

Laughter can be more satisfying than honor; more precious than money; more heart-cleansing than prayer.

- Harriet Rochlin