My husband and I were talking about the concept of change two months ago and it was brought up again the other night as we were eating dinner. Change is a fascinating concept. We all have the power to make changes. The scale and magnitude of those change vary but change occurs nonetheless.
I often think about what I want to and need to do in my life. I only have one shot. How can I best live it? What can I do to leave this world a better place? I want to make a difference. I have so many dreams and ambitions. I want to start a non-profit organization, I want to create programs and opportunities to aid struggling youth, I want to teach the youth, I want to perform numerous services across the world, I want to help my husband start a company, but most importantly, I want to be a mother. Women of today are feeling greater pulls to leave the home to start a professional career. At this time, I feel mixed emotions. I feel liberated to accomplish many of my dreams and goals in this big, exciting world--make a lasting impact as the world would define it. I also, however, want to raise and rear strong children within the bounds of my own home.
I often think about what I want to and need to do in my life. I only have one shot. How can I best live it? What can I do to leave this world a better place? I want to make a difference. I have so many dreams and ambitions. I want to start a non-profit organization, I want to create programs and opportunities to aid struggling youth, I want to teach the youth, I want to perform numerous services across the world, I want to help my husband start a company, but most importantly, I want to be a mother. Women of today are feeling greater pulls to leave the home to start a professional career. At this time, I feel mixed emotions. I feel liberated to accomplish many of my dreams and goals in this big, exciting world--make a lasting impact as the world would define it. I also, however, want to raise and rear strong children within the bounds of my own home.
Gordon B. Hinckley stated: "Women who make a house a home make a far greater contribution to society than those who command large armies or stand at the head of impressive corporations. Who can put a price tag on the influence a mother has on her children, a grandmother on her posterity, or aunts and sisters on their extended family?...The decisions made by the women of this generation will be eternal in their consequences. May I suggest that the mothers of today have no greater opportunity and no more serious challenge than to do all they can to strengthen the homes of America."
Some may think we need to contribute an invention, an ideology, or something that , when we die, we will have left the world a gift--a personal mark on the world. Others think importance resides in fame and popularity. I recently read on the MSN homepage, the top 40 "Tweeters" in the entire world. The individuals ranged from J.Lo to Rhinna. The person with the highest number of followers, 37 million, is...you guessed, Justin Beiber. 37 million. Seriously? 37 million care to receive an hourly update of a person that they have never met nor seen in real life. With new technological advances, the opportunities are endless to be heard and seen by millions. Do we have to be known by many to be an important, influential leader and person?
What we desperately need today on all fronts—in our homes and communities, in schoolrooms and boardrooms, and certainly throughout society at large—are leaders, men and women who are willing to stand for something.
CONCLUSION: I do not need to be known by the entire world to be significant. I do not need to have "a few million followers on twitter" (nor would I EVER want that ;) to have my voice heard or my life esteemed important.
I can live a purposeful, impactful. I may not be able to change the entire world but I can change the world of my children, my husband, my friends, my neighbors, and all who interact with me. I can do this by being a woman of virtue, honesty, integrity, strength, and purity. By standing for something and I living with meaning. I can cause ripples of positive influences in a pool of generations. I can be the change that I want to see in the world.
"Reformation of the world begins with the
reformation of self."
-Gordon B. Hinckley
Just some food for thought. You don't have a kid right now, but you are already in a struggle in the mind about whether or not you should pursue your career or stay with your kids. The answer is pretty clear now. Take the jobs and work you don't have a kid, but when you do have a kids it will be to late to make the decision. Do you think God helps us to make the decision in our minds before they ever come so when we are faced with particular decisions we already know what we will choose?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Ty. I was probably not very clear. I already took the job and plan on working before we decide to start a family. When we do decide to have kids, whenever that may be, I want to be there every step of the way. It is easy to succumb into the worldly pressure of balancing a million things and put motherhood on the back burner--(I love your last statement) BUT I have already made my mind up about a few things and because of that, when the situations arises, I already know what I am going to do. In this situation, I am going to raise our children.
ReplyDeleteI was just speaking more in a general sense of the pressures that are mounting as a result of balancing my dreams, realities, and expectations. Thank you for your thoughts.