ANNA WILLIAMS

FAMILY FIRST
The Infamous Michael J. Fox stated “Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” Through the years I would work hard to get promotions, to move up in the world, and advance my career. I had worked hard at putting aside my true feelings and emotions about missing precious moments of my kid's life drift by. Then one day, it happened. I was sick and was unable to go into work. Due to the kids Father work schedule, with everyone living under one roof, seeing the Children off to school in the morning worked for him. I would normally pick the kids up after work, around 6 pm. In this case, I was able to switch ”pick-up” and ”drop-off” shifts with their Father. I would be the one, on this day, walking the kids to the bus stop instead of their Father. As the kids realized the scheduling had changed I began to see small glimmers of excitement in their eyes. As we walked to the bus stop, I gave them hugs and kisses. I told them I loved them in person instead of our normal morning phone calls as I travel to work. As was customary, they proceeded to get on the bus. I was holding strong and not yet broken to this “family-oriented ritual” of seeing the kids off to school. I learned, at that moment, that there is a different joy to seeing your kids off to school. A Mother is the nurtured to the kids and a Father is a provider. My Children's excitement was ignited by the fact that, their Mommie was able to give them sweet cuddles and love prior to going to school, as a Mother should. Soon, as the bus drove away, the image of my little babies faces as they looked toward me and waved with love and excitement would forever change my life as a Mother. Mothers nurture their babies for nine months that's what is natural and more acceptable, for bonding, Mom's generally stay home with the Children while the Father works. I was only afforded the opportunity to carry my babies, deliver them, recover from the delivery for a month or two and continue life going back to work. My precious little babies would then have to be in the safe care of someone else. This cycle commenced for 8 years of my daughter's life and 7 years of my daughter's life. Many may feel otherwise, or even say ”that's today's norm.” But I was nurtured by my Mother and she was always available for my Brothers and Sisters every need. I would not be as successful if it were not for the availability, love, and attention of my Mother.
That very day, which was the first day in a long time which I saw my children off to school, changed my outlook on Family forever. I realized that I didn’t have my priorities in order in life. I held employment positions year in and year out, in and out of season and in spite of and through many situations. I would utilize my lunch for my kid's conferences, sick leave for quick doctor appointments and even succeed at squeezing a Family errand or two in. There are countless times and memories which I recall being in the “hustle and bustle” each and every single day of my life. My Family, on the other hand, standing in the midst, supporting and loving me all the while I was only giving them a quarter of my attention.
Today, my total outlook and lease on life have changed. My “hustle and bustle” was redirected from the things around me to the things from me, my kids. I utilize each and every waking moment of my life as a contribution to the redistribution of my time, effort and being to building a future and working as a self-employed individual. Each moment is a “Family Moment.” There is no small or large thing which we do not celebrate. And when we can’t find anything to celebrate, we celebrate life and the goodness of it thereof. I seek to find the joy in every waking moment of my kid's life.