Guilt..unh... what is it good for? Absolutely nothin.

Say it again.

I've been feeling guilty lately.

Guilty that I've been working really hard and I'm so tired at the end of the day that I don't have it in me to re-enact Cinderella 3/play Polly Pockets/play peekaboo/or whatever other thing my girls would like to do at the end of the day.

Guilty that I've been bringing home a lot of carryout and not making dinner because I haven't had time to go the grocery store for nearly two weeks.

Guilty that I pass out on the couch at, like, 9:30 every Friday night because I'm just kind of fried from the week.

Guilty that I cringe every time I get a call from a certain client because I know it will be another new project or meeting that is great for business, but no so great for having a life.

Even guilty that I hadn't been writing in this blog.

And then I realized that I was just wasting my time.

There is no mother on earth who doesn't feel guilty about the choices she makes every day. If you work you feel guilty that you aren't at home more. If you have to leave work early during a really busy time to do something with your kids, then you feel guilty about that too. Heck, sometimes you even feel guilty about not feeling guilty.

But here's the thing I realized: no one is making me feel guilty except me. And even though I've been somewhat mentally consumed by a) work and b) guilt, the people around me are getting on with their lives. Grace thinks she's hit the jackpot because I let her watch Cinderella 3 for two nights in a row. Lauren is just fine playing with blocks by herself for a while. And Chad? Well, he's had a few Friday nights to watch a movie that I wouldn't have wanted to watch anyway.

Guilt is insidious. It's a living thing that, if we let it take hold, will prevent us from living in the moment, enjoying what we have and letting go of the things we can't control. A little guilt is good. It keeps us from checking our e-mail on Saturday when we should really be taking a walk with the kids. But too much can distort your view of reality. And no matter what extra stresses you may be experiencing right now, they will pass. And your kids will still turn out just fine. It's not our job to be 24/7 entertainment for them anyway.

So sing it with....Guilt...unh... what is it good for? Absolutely nuthin, say it again....