By the time you are reading this article school will have started, summer will be winding down, and we will all have regained some sense of normalcy. But for now, I am in the throws of beautiful long days and sunscreen. “Summer-mode” has taken my brain down a different path… so, I have abandoned my typical interior design related subject matter and opted for a more personal approach. A behind-the-scenes description of one of the challenges of running a small business and working full time.
You see, I’m thankful for the gifts God has given me….a gift for seeing color, understanding space and the gift of being able to work with, as well as become friends with, some pretty outstanding folks!! I’m grateful for the gift of my family, including two awesome teenage kids. While most of the year these gifts live in harmony, during the summer season I become a full time juggler. I love my job and grateful for my store, but ,especially with all the summer fun, that my heart is really wherever my kids are.
I know lots of parents that juggle their gifts and have conflicted hearts at times, so as I sat down to write this formal piece about interior design, but I opted instead to pull back the curtain. As we speak, I am sitting in my car parallel to the beach volleyball court that my daughter is practicing on…but I know that the deadline for this article is near, so out of one eye I watch the sand fly and with the other I try to focus on making literary sense….. the story of my summer….full time Juggling!!!
Does anyone else feel the same??? Has anyone mastered the art or juggling? If so, can you PLEASE give the rest of us working parents a quick lesson so we can polish our skills?
The main reason I wanted to open ROOST was that I longed to work in the town that raised me. I had spent my entire professional career working in Knoxville which was just far enough away to miss out on events that were really important to me. If it was “dissect the worm day” at school, I was never able to volunteer. I must admit that I thought that owning my own business would give me the freedom to determine my own schedule, but along with increased freedom comes increased responsibilities ….and that is where advanced juggling skills are a must.
For all you parents who are juggling these balls with me, don’t ever feel lonely. This afternoon I choose volleyball and conversation with my 13 year old on the drive home… but early tomorrow morning, it’s back to furniture, drapery and deliveries. It’s not easy, but at the end of this day as God paints the most beautiful sunset and the fireflies start to show off their lights, I know I’m that what I am truly thankful for is the ability to juggle full time.