Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

This last week I had the opportunity to help my oldest son brainstorm information to put on his resume. He was not sure what to title all the jobs he has done and how to present himself in a way that would give a new employer a good idea of who he is in a few short minutes. We talked, changed words and took notes on paper so that later he and his wife could compile a stellar resume to take to an interview on Monday.

It just so happened that the previous week I had re-evaluated my resume and faxed it to apply for a part-time job that I thought might be interesting to me.

It is difficult for full-time moms to describe in professional words what they have been doing for the last 20 years with their children. I have had odd jobs and volunteered a lot during that time, but the weight of my time has been raising boys to become men, friends, husbands, fathers, and providers. There is no description that can express all the things I have learned, as I loved them.

I received this e-mail about the role of a mom that is formatted as a professional ad for employment. It is a great description of some of the abilities that I have gained as a mom. Now how can I implement some of these into my resume?

Job Description

POSITION :
Mother,Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
 
JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team player needed, for challenging
permanent work in an,
Often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :
The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a
pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat
in case, this time, the screams from
the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute,
an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and
janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this!   You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth
and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

I have a nest of those little birds that build their nest from mud on my front porch. I am not sure what kind they are, but they return every year. This year we had 5 little eggs and then 5 little baby birds. We awaited their hatching like eager grandparents. We delighted in seeing the mom and dad fly through the yard collecting bugs to feed these hungry little birds with the biggest mouths we had ever seen. They were so cute after they had been fed, all 5 of the little birds would lay their heads on the edge of the nest and all you could see from the ground were a row of beaks.

Mom and Dad worked tirelessly for about a week feeding their babies and the babies grew quickly. In a little over a week they went from featherless blind babies to these adorable little birds with the tinest feathers.

I noticed on Sunday that they were about ready to fly and then on Monday realized two were already gone. Oops! Later we found little bitty feathers in our garage– our cat had a snack attack. I think it was just one, my hope is that one was successful and flew the coup. I am sticking to that story.

Leaving the nest is dangerous!!!

This morning I am out watering plants on the porch and I notice the parents are gone!  Come to think of it I have not seen the parents for a couple of days. They left about the same time the babies were learning to fly.

I am watching the three remaining babies in the nest almost hide and sit with their backs to the outside world. Do birds get afraid? I know they are aware that they are prey and that the world is full of predators, these three are not sure they want to go. I guess the parents knew this and that is why they left and quit feeding the babies. If they were still here feeding these last three little birds, they would be content to stay forever. In the long run if they stay here and don’t fly, the weather will change and they will surely die. They do have a level of success in their ability to fly and migrate coded into their DNA as birds and I will do my part to keep Ms. P our cat in the garage today to increase their odds.

Today I noticed that as the next two little birds ventured forth in flight the parents had been watching from a nearby tree. When the little ones landed on the ground and I walked out to watch and take a picture they swooped down to distract me and protect the baby. The parents are still caring for the babies and watching out for them. They encourage them in their efforts to get off the ground. They don’t hold them in flight, but they keep guard over them while they are vulnerable.

I can’t help but think about my own life and the life of my sons as they are becoming adults. It seems like just a week ago that they were little boys, playing games, hanging out in the mud, they had the cutest little blond heads and the biggest appetites. We have invested hours collecting food to feed them, physically, emotionally and spiritually. They have eaten a lot at our table! ( and drank gallons of milk) We have delighted in watching them grow.

We have also had to quit feeding our babies and challenge them to go to school, get jobs, buy trucks and make payments, invest in their own lives. They have at times turned their backs and denied that is was time, sometimes they have been angry that we quit feeding them everything and made them learn to fly. Each of my sons has had a different schedule in leaving the nest. One left early and experienced a couple of near crashes, the other is  home learning and growing in college, He is letting go and spreading his wings more each day. Each of them learn so differently than the other.

I can’t do things for them. I can do my part to encourage them in their flight school, and guard them while they are vulnerable. I know there is a lot to hold and ponder in this little bird lesson, but this is a quick synopsis for today:

Babies grow quickly

Parents need to quit feeding to encourage growing up and flying on their own

Some need more encouragement than others in this process

Leaving the nest has it’s dangers

I can do my part in equipping them to watch for the dangers

Watch from the nearby tree and guard them while they are most vulnerable in the lessons

Being an adult is coded in their DNA — I get to help them realize that

Staying in the nest too long will also lead to their destruction

Learning to fly is a good thing

The empty nest is lonely unless I have continued to fly 

Here’s my bird brain lesson –hope you enjoyed !

Tanya