Coordinating Chaos

You know how people always say the pain of childbirth is the kind of pain you forget?  The same goes for the length of a full workday.  It is easy to forget how exhausting it can be to work a full day, focus on homework, domestic chores, as well as fulfill your duties as “personal assistant” to all of the people that you love.   I decided if I am ever rich the personal assistant needs her own personal assistant.  This week I felt more like the coordinator of chaos, but it’s winding down now and the light at the end of the tunnel that we know as the weekend is just over the horizon. 

I attended a trial this week in Appleton.  My Civil Litigation class requires students to attend a civil trial and complete an assignment regarding that trial.  I feel fortunate to be employed by a law firm with such wonderful attorneys who are always willing to do what they can for me, teach me, and help me succeed when it comes to my education.  One of the attorneys at our firm was representing a client who had a jury trial this week.  I was able not only to observe the trial, but also assist in some note taking during the jury panel selection process, known as voir dire, and do some timekeeping regarding the details of the trial.  However, the most beneficial part of attending the trial was that the attorney litigating used to be a paralegal, and took the time to explain the process; answer questions, and asked me my thoughts as the trial progressed.  I just didn’t realize how exhausting a full day in court would be. I remember the days when I worked 8am until 5pm each day, but I didn’t seem to be quite as tired at the end of those days.  I realized that my current lifestyle requires me to do these personal assistant duties, but also provides me with a change of scenery every few hours.  On a normal day, I am constantly moving from place to place, never stopping. I just gogogogogo all day long!  I realize now that I have forgotten what the routine of the workday is about and how much self discipline it requires.  Yet of course, I look forward to my career in the legal field. 

As the weekend approaches, I can’t help but feel blessed with the diversity that my life has afforded me.  And also how it has made me so much more adaptable in all aspects of my life. I am able to appreciate the structure of a full workday, as well as the chaos of being a kind of sort of stay at home mom.  I have friends that fall into either end of the spectrum, and I have so much respect for all of them; those who are structured into a workweek routine, and those who sometimes feel like they spend more hours than they would prefer to sitting in a driveway, parking lot, outside of school honking the horn of their SUV yelling “cab’s here!”, yet they are coordinating the chaos so well that it’s seamless to the children and the spouses.  No matter what category they fall into, they make it look EASY!  From personal experience, I know it’s not.  So this weekend, give an extra hug or thank you to the coordinator of chaos in your own life. Surprise that person with something to show your genuine appreciation.  Do something to make them laugh so hard they cry.  Whether it is a mother, a sister, a daughter, a cousin, an aunt, a dear friend or a husband, father, brother, uncle.   She (or he) will appreciate it more than you know.