Ain’t Nobody (Gonna Steal My Joy)

Some days, I question why I work in HR.

I truly do enjoy helping people, but there are days…like today…when I question my own sanity.

And another thing…I’m not really a hard core feminist, but women are the stronger sex. We have to be! We do it all nowadays – we carry the babies, we birth the babies, we feed and clothe the babies, we raise the babies, we juggle the babies and diaper bags and other accouterments that go with the babies (ALL AT THE SAME DAMN TIME), we take the babies to school, we help the babies with their homework, we bandage the baby boo-boos, we listen to the babies when they’ve had their hearts stomped out, we teach the babies how to drive, we pack the babies for college, we still call them our babies even when they are 25 and don’t know what to do with their lives. And most of this applies to the MALE babies. And by babies, I mean adults too. I think that some men, once married, feign this helplessness so that their “little lady” can take care of the more mundane administrative things in life. I have seen it in my real life and my work life.

Take retirement paperwork, for instance. No really, TAKE IT! It’s not the easiest stuff to wade through, but I cannot get over how much hand-holding I have to do with these grown ass men! From the executive floor to the basement, doesn’t matter. And if you ladies think I’m crazy (I am, but that’s beside the point here), watch your boyfriend/husband/significant other of the male variety the next time some paperwork needs to be filled out.  “But your handwriting is SOOO much neater and easier to read!” “You know all my information anyway – just fill it out and I’ll sign” “I don’t understand all this insurance stuff – here you fill this out”….like this is our job. UGH MEN!! You run large corporations and our country but you can’t figure out a simple form?

To make matters worse, I have all of the sections of this paperwork highlighted so they know EXACTLY where to fill out what and where to sign. Still…can’t get right. I’m not talking about the heavy decisions like what form of pension payment to take for the rest of their lives – I’m talking basic information.

Back to the baby situation – I am mostly kidding, but there is a kernel of truth in there. I have seen my wonderful husband insist on carrying whichever baby was the baby at the moment, and the little diaper bag. That’s it – can’t handle anything more. Me, I’ve juggled two small children who insisted that the floor was lava and they could NOT walk, plus at least one diaper bag in there and an older child who we lovingly referred to as “Tigger” because he didn’t walk, he BOUNCED everywhere like his legs were springs. And that was everywhere…grocery store, doctor’s office, church, wherever I had to go they went. But I made it work (this is where the ‘I’m crazy’ comes from).

I will get in my feelings a little here and go out on a limb, but part of me does miss those little people. They are now big people and I am proud of how well they turned out. I wish they were a little further out my door by now, but there are those days that I wish I could have one more moment to hold them and not have them smart off and try to escape.

Nope, not going to let anyone steal my joy today – I woke up in a good mood! #nottodaysatan