Heart v. Head

(Due to increasing amounts of anonymous hate mail, I find it necessary to issue the following decree: My sh*t is to be read in a direct tone of voice with no sympathy for myself or anyone else. There. Now please enjoy the following dissertation from yours truly.)

As I get older, I've come to realize most decisions involve choices that are never 100% perfect. Sometimes the choices that feel best are the ones to avoid. It's easy to say, "Put family and children first!" Quite another to actually do it.

Putting a priority on loved ones requires an enormous amount of self-sacrifice. Pride fills us up inside when first we announce: "I am putting my career on indefinite hold!" or "Every mother is a working mother!" or even, "Zip up, I'm a married woman!"

After years of tending to children who can't quite get the wiping-thing down, idealism can give way to frustration and resentment. That's why I'm grateful for an above-average support system so instead - idealism simply shares the stage with frustration. The best thing you can ask for, unless Oprah and bon-bons satisfy forever, is that the two co-exist peacefully and resentment never rears its ugly head. Hopefully, with a good team on your side, good outweighs bad - depending on the day. Ahh, such is life.

However, what happens when several decision-making events occur simultaneously? Every issue presents a tug-of-war between what you want to do and what you should do. Yes, it's hard to choose when defenses are down and your heart plays tricks. Try as you might to stay right, you can almost feel the "giving in" side grow stronger. I suppose this is when weaker women turn to alcohol or the Lord.

Wait. Those are my only options?