Editor’s Note: If one thing has become clear during these recent historical events in our country, it’s that many people don’t appreciate the concepts of “compassion,” “humility,” “loyalty,” or “solidarity.” A Momma & Her Pen believes wholeheartedly in supporting others and championing their personal and business ventures. We all have a style, we all have a voice, and we all have a story that deserves to be shared. That’s why I’m partnering with professionals from various walks of life in a special guest column series titled “Friends With Pens.” This is a chance for these talented individuals to share their perspective and promote their accomplishments, all of which are noteworthy and amazing. The ideas, observations, and opinions expressed herein are entirely those of the writer. A Momma & Her Pen hopes you enjoy this special series.
By Heather Walsh
When I was little, my mom used to read me stories from the Sweet Pickles book series. I’m dating myself here, as I’m pretty sure they were published in the 70s. But they were cute little teaching stories involving animals, and my favorite was called “Goose Goofs Off.” It was all about procrastination, and Goose’s favorite line is, “I’m taking it easy today. I’ll do it tomorrow.” As you can imagine, Goose’s house is so messy that the stork mailman slips on melted ice cream when he tries to deliver his letters. But she’ll mop the floor tomorrow.
I’ve always been a bit of a procrastinator, giving myself this label in high school when I’d wait until the night before an essay was due to churn one out (please don’t tell my students). The fact that I usually still got an A made me cocky and I decided that I was one who “works well under pressure” even though, of course, my writing could have been better if I had revised it.
Fast forward to motherhood. In the chaos of everyday life with three little ones, I proudly justify and reclassify my procrastination as “triage.” “I can’t possibly organize the junk drawer today because we’re busy potty training!” “Call about that dental cleaning? Maybe later when we’re finished with virtual learning.” Some things just have to wait until tomorrow. Except I came across a saying that rings so true that it has taken root and changed my approach a bit (I heard it on a podcast I listen to called “Happier” with Gretchen Rubin):
Things that can be done at any time are often done at no time.
As a busy mama, I put off so many things on faith that they will get done at some point. Shocker … they don’t. Those prints that should be put into albums? They’re sitting in shoeboxes. Don’t even get me started on the digital ones. Teaching my kids a second language? Every time it crosses my mind I think, “Oh, there’s plenty of time.” But guess what? My oldest is turning 7 and we haven’t gotten past “hola.” It is something I can teach them in bits and pieces at any time, but I don’t. And this has me thinking about the other things that I just assume they are going to learn through osmosis at some point. There’s plenty of time to teach them to be generous and compassionate. To be strong and independent. To be patriotic. To be citizens of the world. To respect nature. To learn from one another. They will see tons of examples of these things and I will have lots of opportunities to explain them. There’s plenty of time. Right???
So back to Sweet Pickles. I’ve been wanting to learn how to can fruits and vegetables for a while. But I needed to read up on it. And I needed to buy jars. And I needed to figure out what to can. And I needed to find a good farm stand. And I needed the right tongs. So maybe I’ll try next week. Ok definitely next summer. Well, I’ll make sure I preserve blueberry jam at some point while the kids are still little enough to enjoy it.
A few weeks ago, I just did it. I made a batch of bread and butter pickles. I was a nervous wreck, I read the recipe fifty times, I agonized over the lids, I worried about botulism. But I did it. And now I know how to do it, and I’ve made crushed tomatoes, peach butter, tomatillo salsa, and that lovely blueberry jam. And my kids learned to appreciate where food comes from and how those grocery store shelves are filled. They also learned that new things are sometimes scary but that’s how we grow.
So, I’m going to keep trying to seize those teachable (and learnable) moments today, Goose, because you know what? I know I’ll be busy tomorrow.
About The Author:
Heather Walsh muses about life and literature on her website, BookishMama.com. She is a mother of three, plus one husband and one Newfoundland, and she enjoys her books, kitchen, and garden. She is an experienced English teacher, but has discovered that private tutoring (SAT/ACT prep, college essays, composition and analysis) allows her to balance work and family more effectively. She hopes to grow her blog and tutoring services by sharing her love of words.
If you’re interested in submitting your own narrative or in recommending/promoting a friend, please email me at amommaspen@gmail.com. I am beyond excited to work with all of you on this collaboration project! Happy writing!