When I was a kid, I had a very different idea of what being an adult would be like. I figured once you grew up, you pretty much had life figured out. You had a job, your own house, your own money and nobody could tell you that you couldn’t have ice cream for dinner.
Nobody mentioned that adulthood is actually about 10 percent freedom and 90 percent maintenance.
There is always something that needs to be done. The laundry needs washed. The dishes need put away. The car needs an oil change. Somebody needs a dentist appointment.
The trash needs taken out. We're out of milk again, even though I swear I just bought some.
Apparently, you’re supposed to decide what everyone is going to eat for dinner every single night for the rest of your life.
The worst part is that you never really finish anything. You can clean the entire house, stand back and admire it for approximately six minutes, and someone will walk through eating crackers. You can finally get every piece of laundry washed, dried and folded, only to walk into the bathroom and discover someone has already started a brand-new pile.
Even taking care of yourself requires maintenance. Drink enough water. Get enough sleep. Make the appointments. Exercise. Remember your vitamins. Get your hair done. Take care of your teeth. And somewhere in there, you’re also supposed to make time for yourself.
Sure, I’ll pencil that in between changing the air filter and figuring out why the check-engine light is on.
I think that’s one of the biggest surprises about growing up. There isn’t really a point where everything is done and you finally get to sit back and think, There. I’ve officially got my life together. Most of us are just keeping things going.
Maybe that is what having your life together actually looks like. Not a spotless house, an empty laundry basket or a calendar with nothing left to do, but getting up every day and taking care of what needs taking care of—even though you know most of it will need done again tomorrow. If you manage to do all of that and remember to move the laundry from the washer to the dryer on the same day, I’d say you’ re doing pretty good.
Until next time, keep laughing, keep learning and keep it real.