This time of year is tough, managing families
work
expectations.
The biggest difficulty is needing to say no.
But no is outside the range of allowable responses,
regardless of need.
Not need like want.
Or need like should.
But further down to basic essentials:
breathable air
fundamental life
eyes that are able to focus
on anything.
I do have a choice. Technically.
Do it.
Or.
Face huge
direct
adverse
lifelong
imbalanced consequences.
I could pull the card of a five-year-old and claim it’s not fair – which is actually strikingly accurate, but completely moot.
Or I could suck it up and
cough
choke
drown
on the results.
Again.
And again.
Because attempts at conversation
understanding
consideration
resolution
compromise
wholesome conflict
are scoffed at
tossed aside and ignored
or deemed unworthy to listen to in the first place.
So I keep gasping for any air I can get
and wait
for the pressure to release – enough
that I can finally shift out of straight survival mode
and breathe again.