But, almost four years, two accepted job offers, a baby, a maternity leave, and countless memories and projects and experiences later I can say with absolute certainty that the layoff I thought was going to ruin my career was actually the best thing that ever happened to me.
I feel as though all of the uneasiness I had about being thirty-five has washed away and instead, I’m filled with gratitude. Gratitude for the lessons I’ve learned, the gifts I’ve received, and the life I’ve built so far.
When I went back to work in September, five months ahead of schedule, I had one major sticking point upon which I struggled: how the fresh heck was I going to get it all done? The all, of course, being almost precisely what I talked about in my last blog: the literal everything of mom… Continue reading why i’m paying for everything i can
In reflecting, I’ve come to realize that perhaps the reason my return to work has felt so hard has been that I set too high a standard for myself.
The mom I thought I would be wouldn’t love her baby any more or any less. She wouldn’t feel less fulfilled or like a stranger to herself. She wouldn’t be happier. Neither version is a failure.
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