Is Superwoman a myth or a modern day hero? I know women who stay home with their kids. I know women who are working Moms. I know women without kids who work full time. Our lives are quite different for all three types but there is one thing that we all have in common. We are superwomen.
I fall into the first group. I am fortunate enough to stay home with my kids. Just like any other job, I have great benefits as well as huge challenges. Any parent who stays home with their children will probably tell you it is hard work. It takes tremendous amounts of patience, understanding and creativity. These are your superpowers. (And wouldn’t it be nice if once in a while, we could become the invisible man?)
Likewise, the ability to work outside of the home while maintaining your home and family at the end of a long day is also a struggle. I have played this role too. It was a long time ago when I only had one baby. It was physically exhausting and I experienced a great deal of “Mom guilt.”
Childless career women face their own challenges, sometimes pushing themselves even further than someone that has children to consider when making decisions.
Everyday I encounter a superwoman. It could be the cashier at the store who recognizes that I am at my limit with my kids and offers a friendly smile and some kind words to brighten my day. It could be the woman who arrives late for work because she took the time to help a stranger. We may not always feel like it but we are all heroes. We are heroes to our kids and heroes to the strangers that we encounter, and the people who we help without even realizing. We have tremendous strength but we all have a limit. On the days that you need a break, turn to your other heroes for support. Your friends are your best defense against life’s kryptonite.
As a dear friend reassured me once, as I was breaking down after a very long day, “Even Superwoman cries sometimes.”