A Woman's Work is Never Done

I had an epiphany the other day that I'm almost embarrassed to admit.  I'm pretty sure this is one of those things that everyone else in the entire universe has figured out and I am the very last person alive to come to this realization.

You ready for this earth-shattering, mind-blowing lightning bolt?  Here it is:

I will never be totally and completely, 100% caught up when it comes to household management tasks and home improvement projects.  NEVER.  

I may get close.  I may widdle the list down to just a handful of items.  But I will never not have a list.  At least not while I have kids living at home.  But probably forever.  

For a long time I thought this was because I had small children.  Then I blamed it on work and not having any spare time.  Finally I realized that, nope, this is just how it's going to be.  By the time you cross off three things at the top, four more things get added to the bottom. Sometimes you get a lull in life when you can focus on the list, but then sickness or holidays or something else happens that returns back-burner stuff to the back-burner and it boils over to unmanageable proportions in the time it takes to get around to it again.  When I let all of that sink in, my reaction wavered between surprise and defeat.  

The individual tasks themselves aren't difficult or overwhelming:  Clean out this closet, catch up on those photo albums, shred that stack of papers, organize that drawer, touch up paint in these rooms, write that card to so-and-so, get quotes and schedule this repair, etc. etc. etc.  It's the combination of all of those tasks that is just so frustratingly insurmountable.  

But don't worry.  I don't prioritize these things over what truly matters in life.  I have enough wisdom in me to recognize that a list like this is very superficial and inconsequential.  I know that my kids are only this age for so long and that the spots on the carpet and the unorganized drawers and the unfinished albums aren't worth sacrificing time with them.  Nor are they worth what's left of my sanity.  I realize there are better things to spend my time on and much more important people and causes that I should put energy towards.  I understand I have to prioritize my time and chip away at the ongoing list as I'm able.

I get all of that.  Really.  

But man, it sure would be nice if for only five minutes I could collapse on the couch and think, "There.  Finished."  The thing is, I guess I've finally realized that when I utter those words the next ones out of my mouth will be, "Well hey, Peter!" as I'm ushered into the pearly gates.