14: Sick days

There’s a quote that sits on the window sill above our kitchen sink. It says, “Remember what and who matter most. Making a life is more important than making a living.” I always liked the reminder. Nowadays, I sometimes need the reminder.

Charlie started Daycare two weeks ago, and became sick within a few days. When Jordan and I received the call to “Please come pick up your kid,” we had our first tough Daycare decision to make. Yes, that inevitable conversation of who can drop what they’re doing to go get the child. That fun “whose meetings are more important this afternoon” debate. Unfortunately, these sicknesses don’t often go away overnight and we had to make the same decision over the next few days.

I understand all working parents go through this at varying degrees, but I’m now realizing that it’s not easy. I worried about my reliability. I felt guilty about letting people down. I wondered whether I was fulfilling my responsibilities. Jordan felt the same.

But then I was reminded.

Jordan and I were being reliable. We were fulfilling our most important duty. We were in fact prioritizing who and what matters most.

To be fair, I plan to be fully present at work when I have the opportunity, so I can be flexible when I need to be. I will try to manage my time strategically, so I can do more with less time. I will do whatever I can to make sure that the work gets done and the results don’t suffer.

But when that next sick day inevitably occurs, I now feel better about what I need to do. I know it will be time to drop what I’m doing and proudly be there for what matters most. It’ll take time to get used to, but I am constantly reminded that making a life is more important than making a living. I’m just glad that I have the flexibility to make that choice. I hope you will too.