But then...twelve-year-old son tapped me on the shoulder. "Mom, wanna play Mexican Train with me?"
My sons know how seriously I take writing. They tease me about it all the time. And I knew at that moment all I had to say was, "Not now. Maybe later." He would've asked one of his brothers, or he would've found something else to do. I came *this close* to brushing him off.
In that moment, the golden scales of Parenthood teetered in my brain. Which loss would be worse? Not working on my manuscript, or not seizing a moment with my son? We all know the answer.
I closed my laptop, cleared the kitchen table, and played Mexican Train for the next hour. And guess what? My manuscript was still there, waiting for me. The writing world did not come to a complete stop because I played a game with my son.
Writing is important. Super important. But so is parenting--no other responsibility carries more weight. So I'll stop and play Mexican Train whenever my son wants me to. The special people in our lives deserve to know how important they are.
How do you balance relationships with writing? Do you ever feel guilty for paying more attention to one over the other? How do you juggle it all?
If you have a few minutes, take a moment and watch "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. I dare you not to cry.
photo credit