I know what you should do

I have been hearing this statement too many times in recent months and have heard it plenty all my life. Starting with family, easily extends to the paid help and even strangers, everyone seem to know what’s good for me.
In general it appears everyone knows what’s good for others! And it seems to come easy to give out advice (solicited or not).
Now that I am an empty nester everyone who knows me has thought of things I should do. It ranges from joining the bhajan group, gita study, garden club, bridge club..the list goes on.
I have learnt over the years to sincerely listen to any unsolicited advice and do what I think is best.
I have lived by creating what I term as priority to me. I have also chosen to align my importance to what appears in front of me that needs to be done.
This started when I had my son and decided to give up working outside the home so as to raise my child.
Believe it or not, I was deluged by advice at how dumb and stupid my thought process and action was.
Back then it was the fashionable in thing for women to work outside of their homes.
Both my mother and MIL were quite open in their vehemence and my mother even accused me of being lazy. All of my peers thought I had lost my mind. Why would anyone want to stay at home to raise children?!
I never really quite got why everyone reacted so strongly.
It was very clear to me that I wanted to raise my child being a full time mother. I also wondered if others opinions count since so many thought otherwise.
I turned to my DH for help who is like a Guru to me.
He said I should make my own decision and not be influenced by what others think. He also taught me how to prioritize my life and to have the courage to stand up for myself.
I never ever regretted how I chose to live and raise my own which always seemed to be more of a full time job.
It always seems that whenever you make a choice there are so many people around who feel you should do something else.
There is an element of guts needed to stand up to what you believe in.
And so I am back to the Now. Here again so many decide what I should do with my time, my life and what clearly is my business.
I have been travelling on the path to meet my creator. Everything else has to be in the sideline or not in the picture at all, if it fails to align with this priority.
As unique is every one of the Lord’s creation so is the path each chooses. As long as the path is clearly visible to the one who chooses, one does not owe any explanations.
I am dodging all the wise suggestions as to what I should do with a smile. A smile I also share with the benevolent creator.

 

dear aruna
that is awfully kind of you to say smart, intelligent!! in real I am so far away from it all. only good thing going for me is i know i know nothing.
thanks for the boost.

 

Bhargavi
wow! loved the compliment; thanks

 

nice to be good mother; thanks;

 

my dear Sri
I reviewed what I wrote twice before posting so that it would meet your level of expertise. I have never ever reviewed what I write. I just write in one burst and post right away. maybe if you continue to read i might get better at this writing, thanks to you. i guess its not to late to teach an old dog some new tricks haha