This Is Our Life

Perfection? No. I stopped yearning for that long ago, whenever I realized that it wasn’t real.

Challenging? Yes. Everyday is a challenge. But, I love the struggle of it, and every challenge has made my family and me the people we are today with a bond that I hold near and dear.

I remember hosting my first New York City Thanksgiving a few years ago and rattling off my menu on the day of, over the phone to my mom. “So, where is everyone going to sit?” She asked casually. I rolled my eyes, because I knew what was coming next. “We will sit on the couch, or on the other chairs in our living room,” I responded as nonchalantly as possible. (Moments like these prompted me to write this piece, chronicling why NYC life beats growing up in “the burbs.”)

Would I be lying if I said that I didn’t miss having traditional Thanksgivings of my childhood? Of course. But, the judgement that I’m doing something wrong because I’m living a life that works for me and my family – that I’m not okay with.

This is our life.

And the precious gift of this one life that we live is that we get to live however we choose. I’m sick of the worrying about what others think, waiting and planning to find the “right” time for things to happen, instead of just embracing the moment and going with our gut instincts. Life is full of “shoulda, woulda, couldas” and the challenges will always be there, but it’s how we deal with these challenges that shape us.

This is our life.

Recently, I had a blog commenter write paragraph after paragraph about the way I lived my life, how I was lucky not to have a sick child and a present husband. It went on and on. The thing is this, I have challenges, too. We all do. Mine may not always be transparent, but I think that I wear my heart on my sleeve and share both good and bad experiences with you all. I’m not perfect, nor is my life perfect, but it’s mine.

We live a life that might be different from others. Maybe this is why you tune in and watch – it’s interesting to see how people living in the city manage to live a life where there seems to be an extra step involved in everything we do, I get it. But our life is filled with love, and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.

So my message to you all today is this: live your life to the fullest, on your terms. Do what works best for you and take challenges head on. Don’t stop, keep moving, and most definitely, don’t complain. We are all busy and we are all doing our best. Make room in your life for the things that bring you joy and push out the negative.

Looking for more Mama madness? Read along with my motherhood journey (I’m sure you will find some similarities!) here, the ups, the downs, and those moments that are just plain cringe-worthy!

Fashionably Yours,

Allison