My collegue just called me and asked me if I was free tonight as she wanted to deliver some cakes over. I asked her what's the occasion and she shared with me that this was a collective treat from all my collegues who got promoted including her .
"Really!!!! Congratulations !!! " I replied .
She then asked me how I was getting on and what I was doing.. " ohhh, I'm treasuring all the remaining time I have with Gracia before I go back to work in June. Am out with her for a walk to find her favourite bird friends and do some grocery shopping"
After I hung up with her, i felt a tinge of sadness... Why did I feel this way? Thank God for the walk, I enjoy strolling (esp with my hubby and baby Gracia) coz it has a therapeutic effect on me and it's usually during my strolls that I can sort out my inner thoughts.
I guess I felt a sense of "loss" . I've given up a year of my career to care for baby Gracia and I felt that I have lost the opportunity to be promoted along with my peers and perhaps I 'm lagging behind now.
But hey, wasn't that the cost that I had prepared myself for a year back when I decided to take no-pay leave to care for baby Gracia? Haven't I counted the cost and decided that I was still going ahead to answer my call to motherhood and dedicate quality time to nurture Gracia at least for the 1st year of her life?
So has it been worthwhile? I would say ........................ YES!!!!!!
During this period of fulfillling my call to motherhood, I have also GAINED much becauseI had the opportunity and dedicated time to BUILD my FAMILY.
Just a few days back, I wrote down what is my purpose in life and this is what I wrote :
To multiply and be fruitful in the Lord's Kingdom -->
To build strong Godly families ( both physical and spiritual family-find & build my 12 )
Just as it is written in Genesis where God shared what was on his heart when He created man...
"Be fruitful and increase in number..." Gen 1: 28
With that , I look back and realise that I have so many thanksgivings... Here are some of them..
1. I have been there every moment for baby Gracia everytime she needs her mummy to breastfeed her, console her when she's lonely or afraid, play with her ever since she was a helpless baby to a now more independent baby.
2. I have experienced the excitement of seeing her many "1st times :.. like, her first smile, her first wave, her 1st tooth, 1st crawl etc. And the famous saying goes ," you can never turn back time, she's only a baby ONCE" and I was able to enjoy those times!
3. Extended time with my own family as I return home to my mum's place twice a week ( stayed whole day at my mum's place)so she can to co-babysit Gracia. Enjoyed catching up with my mummy and daddy esp since i stayed out after i got married ( have many fond memories when us go shopping together with baby). Many things in my family needed breakthrough , was able to be available as pillar of support to my family thru the difficult times...
4. Am closer to my mother in law whom I'm staying with. This extended period of time at home had fair doses of delightful and frustrating times (coz of different culture and values). But I've grown to understand her more and appreciate her for how much she dotes on us and how hard she works to keep the family together .
5. Had opportunity to catch up more with my spiritual FAMILY thru lunches, teas, and MSN!!! ( tho I still wanna meet up more often) ( will put up more pictures)
The above are only SOME of the thanksgivings .. and hmmmm.. I really think that I have GAINED much more that I thought I lost! =)
I conclude - my work/career is only a
means to achieve my greater purpose in life... it is not an end in itself. I dun live just to have a successful career!