Too Much of a Good Thing

Once again I can't do something without complicating it or getting neurotic, even when it's something I want. Things are heating up in catering and at the Inn with an increasing number of hours available for me to work, but I can't fulfill some of them because of my other life working my day job and being a dad, not to mention a real man in training. At first glance it's easy to get seduced by the allure of making money, but at some point you have to ask what you're doing it for, especially when it infringes not only on the time of your spouse and kids, but on the quality of time you get to spend with them. Too much of a good thing, as the saying goes.

We could do some crazy juggling and finagling to enable me to spend more time at the Inn, but it would make our lives intolerably crazy, and it would be at the expense of that is most important to us, namely our time together as a family. Plus, mom and I would be at wit's end and it would make for a less than pleasant home environment, i.e., dad stressing out and losing it around everyone... not fun. This past week they put out the schedule for work and I was stoked to be included in several events because it meant a fat paycheck. However, as I looked at the schedule, I realized that some of the shifts were in the morning, and that the total number of hours was putting me at 40+ hours for the week. Again, it would have meant more money but I just can't work long day shifts because I have too many obligations that take precedence. I felt bad having to tell them I couldn't work, and wouldn't blame them if they wanted to tell me to take a hike, though I hope it doesn't come to that. Somehow I don't think it will. Besides, sometimes a real man in training has to do what he has to do. In the end, I'm fine working a couple of events each week, which amounts to about 10-15 hours.

This means less money, but as I've gotten older I've learned that the most important thing in life is time, especially when it's spent with the ones you love. No amount of money can take the place of that, though we don't realize this fact until it's too late.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Mike Miller for the pic.