Teeter Totter

I started thinking about this post as I drove home last night. I got as far as finding the right image on Google and then my attention was diverted. Perfect! Perfect for the teeter totter subject. So many things I read talk about balance and juggling and keeping everything in perspective. I think overall though - even more than a juggling act - or a scale to balance - it is a big teeter totter. Things go up and down, there is give and take, and rarely, very rarely are we at equalibrium.

I think more about the teeter totter and what could be on each end. RL and SL obviously. Work and Home. Kids and Husband. Time for ourselves and everything else.

Before SL,(and my husband can atest to this),if I wasn't doing something for our kids, for him, for our home, I was working. I take a lot of pride in my career and know it is essential that I care about my income and insurance source for the sake of my family. It was never easy to take my little ones to a babysitter - and each started out as early as 6 weeks in someone else's arms during the day. The teeter totter was exhausting at that point. And - like a kid hearing recess is over and she MUST come in from the playground - I would jump from the teeter totter work end to let it come crashing to the ground - quick to launch into my mom role I was enthralled with. Was? Is? :) Still am enthralled with.

After SL, I came to know a new side of myself... a side I had not faced on the teeter totter in years... maybe even ever. I jumped on this teeter totter thinking I wasn't really interested. Heck, I could play PS2 and Nintendo with my kids anytime... (well when they let me have a turn) and I could Diner Dash with the best of em. I was also pretty good at Bejeweled if I wanted to just zone out. This SL thing... who would have thought...

All of a sudden I found a way to go out on the town (or SIM as it is) and really let loose. I could shop to my hearts content and have the most amazing body. Heck, Barbie look out!! These clothes cost pennies compared to what my daughter asks for :) I could build. I could design island homes. I could be creative. And... what really captured my heart in SL was the friendships. All of a sudden I had people I never would have known ever in any other way cross paths. They have given me new things to think about and tested me in ways I needed to grow.

So.. it is still a teeter totter. I struggle to balance it and hop off in one big jump at my "SL bedtime." I go afk alot as I multitask with my kids and do stuff around the house.

But...I have to say - I wouldn't trade this teeter totter ride for anything.