Running Races

Last week, my church's new pastor was installed. This is a huge win for a congregation who didn't know if they would exist a year ago. Rev. Thomas Tewell preached a beautiful sermon, and the piece I have held on to throughout this week has been this - we are all running a race, but we can't compare our "progress" to other folks. Why? Because we're running different races!

I needed to hear that more than I could have imagined. Repeatedly, I post on Facebook about my child's antics, and without fail, someone will say, "Well at least you don't have a screaming toddler!" or "At least you still got some sleep!" In essence, they are saying, "You don't have it as bad as I did."

I have wondered this for a long time (even before becoming a parent) - why do we have to compare? Why do we have to win at having it the worst?! Yes, I am running a race and so are you, but we are running different races!

And here's what my race has looked like this week:

- My child does not believe that I won't kick him out, so he continues to push, break things, threaten, and scream...to see if I'm really going to stay.

- My child had the courage to tell his friends at the Boys & Girls Club that when he grows up, he wants to be a girl. And NO ONE told him that he couldn't!

- My child wrote a bucket list that included "give birth to a kid."

- My child threatened to kill himself (with knitting needles).

- My child told me he has the best mommy in the world, and he hugged and kissed me so tight.

So yes, maybe I do get more sleep than the parents of a newborn, but why don't we stop comparing apples and elephants?