The Kat Files

As my dear readers who have followed me over the years know, I struggle with time. It eludes me constantly. I am continuously amazed by the fleeting moments of my life whether those moments are enjoyable or miserable. Of course, I should have a firmer grasp on my time because after all, it is my time. However, the reality of the situation is I do not completely own all of my time. There will be those among us that argue how you spend your time is a choice. And, I somewhat agree with that assessment. I need to eat and clothe and shelter myself; therefore, I need to work in order to obtain those basic needs. As a result, time must be set aside to work. We all know that all of our time is not spent at work, so we must be good stewards with the time that we have left over at the end of each day. This is easier said then done if you take care of children, pets, or elderly parents.

Having children was a choice for me. I consider my two children the two most precious gifts that God has given me. However, when I made that choice, I was not 100% clear about how much of my time would be invested in their care and well-being. For a period of their life, the time spent on me was no longer flexible. It was no longer just “me” because I had become a parent. I was now responsible for these little people, and I not only determined how I spent my time, but also how they spent theirs. Many of the decisions I made in my life were based on taking care of my children. Consequently, I shelved a few of my dreams, so I could provide opportunities for my children to explore their own dreams. And, watching them over the years experience those opportunities has been a delight for me. They have both made me proud to be their mother.

Andrew is traveling to Germany, Prague, and the Swiss Alps with STA during spring break of 2019. He along with the other travelers were given the opportunity to work concessions at the LSU home games this football season. Each game, they will receive a percentage of the sales to help pay for their trip. Crazily, I also signed up to help. I have worked concessions over the years at STA for Barry’s cross country meets and at Southeastern for Andrew’s Boy Scout troop; however, nothing prepared me for working LSU’s concessions. Last Saturday was our first time working the concessions. Firstly, I had never been to LSU Stadium, so I was clueless about its size. A huge stadium equals a huge number of people. Secondly, we were understaffed for our first game. Thirdly, it was hot and humid. By the end of our shift, we were all extremely hot, thirsty, and worn out. All things considered, we survived and made some moolah. And, personally I thought it was fun. I enjoyed working with the STA crew and felt satisfied with the results of a job well-done. In fact, so much so, that I plan on doing it again.

I do the things that I do for my children because I want them to experience some of the opportunities that I did not have during my childhood. Soon, Andrew will graduate from high school, and I’ll be able to begin unshelving my own dreams. Eventually, I will gain back more time for just “me,” and it is important that I make good choices with how I spend it. Time may be elusive; however, time is also of the essence. Make the most of your time, so it feels well-spent, dear reader. Happiness!

“The days are long, but the years are short.” ~ Gretchen Rubin