Spinning dinner plates, balanced precariously on spindly broomsticks, wobble out of control. Multi-colored balls, handcrafted out of orphan socks, circle my head in erratic, elliptic orbits while I attempt to keep a hacky sack, stuffed with worries, suspended in the air, frantically hopping from foot to foot.
My life is a circus, and I am a Bag Lady Clown. Rheumy eyes milky from sleepless nights, dishpan hands shaky with stress, I juggle my wifely and motherly duties. Never letting any fall, always keeping them moving, so I don’t have to think about all of them at the same time.
The Trifecta challenge this week is: Juggle [transitive verb \ˈjə-gəl\] 3: to handle or deal with usually several things (as obligations) at one time so as to satisfy often competing requirements
The 100 Word Challenge is to tell a story in only 100 words. This week’s theme is: ‘Milky’
Ok, this has been happening a lot lately. Where I KNOW I read a post, and I THINK I left a comment, but I come back and there’s no comment from me. I guess my choices are, a) early onset senility, b) circus-life induced senility, c) a general lack in tech-savvy, or d) the internet hates me.
End rant.
This was lovely and terrifying. :P
Once a mom(parent),always one, I feel:-)What a beautiful analogy you drew Tara,loved it:-)
I can relate to life as a circus. You did this so well, including the image above. Tara, it truly is spinning plates and wiping the “milky stuff” from one’s eyes… I remember years as a single mom raising a very smart girl… the challenge… this brought it all back. Good news is, the circus was worth it. Riley is a great artist now, about to complete school and go on her own.
Really, this post is the life of too many women (and too few men) I know! Peace, Amy http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/03/05/mary-queen-of-rights/
A circus is a very apt metaphor. The turmoil is so vividly described I’m stressed out reading it. Well done. Btw, I hate the circus, especially clowns. So you hit a nerve.
This is an awesome metaphor. Well done!
I loved that picture, even while it scared me a bit.
I have been reading a book and the main character is having a baby, she talks about being scared about becoming a mom, explaining it with a line like “there will be a complete inability to relax forever now” and I agreed, that is exactly what becoming a parent is like..esp one who works full time and is a wife, once those children are introduced to our lives, we give up the ability and the right to RELAX , because their happiness is how we determine our own.
What is this ‘relax’ you speak of? Even at 23, I can’t relax where my daughter is concerned. When she was in Morocco, I was on edge the whole time. She and her roommate are taking a cruise to celebrate their graduation this spring, and I made the mistake of watching the movie ‘Taken.’ Yeah, there will be no relaxing.
Even though my son still lives at home, I’m still twitchy when he is out late with friends.
Excellent!
Oh, Tara – great use of both prompts.
I’ve felt this way before! Your description here of all the juggling that we have to do was just perfect! Great use of the prompt!
A bag lady clown… now that’s an image. If you manage all that as well as you write about it those worries in the hacky sack will eventually fall away… at least I hope they do. So much said in 100 words.
I forgot to say how much I love your banner. I love your banner.
This is wonderful Tara. Really well written –a common sentiment uniquely expressed! :D
It really is keeping from thinking about it all at once that makes sanity possible! Or maybe that’s just comparative sanity.
Great piece of writing.
If we stopped to think of all the spinning plates and juggling balls, we’d panic and many would come crashing down.
Really love the first half of this, Tara. So much so, the second half seemed excessive. I realize the prompts aren’t in the 1st part, but it is just gorgeous as is.
Being a Mom is definitely like juggling. I love the image you created with so few words!
Life is such a circus, but my priorities are dropped all the time (I was never able to juggle :()
This is a perfect comparison. Brilliant.
My circus life is only starting to get going…as soon as my kids are a bit older I can see more insanity as extracurricular activities, sports, friends, etc etc etc start happening more and more
ah yes, the life of a wife and mother does feel like a circus experience most days. Great post! Found you through Trifecta quite by accident today and so glad I did.
That is the secret–not to focus on one ball for too long, to keep everything moving. Great piece.
Generally, I like to think of my life as the happier kind of circus.
But yeah, this is probably more accurate…
It’s not all Insane Clown Posse, but sometimes I wish I could make the merry-go-round stop.