Do you remember life before kids? Priorities were so different back then. Our perspective on life was so different. Getting only 8 hours of sleep in a night usually meant the next day was a write off as we were “too exhausted” to function.
We lived for Friday’s. And it was never a question of if we were going out… it was always a question of where. Friends were just a text or call away and always available. And if for some reason our boss was stupid enough to schedule us to work, we would just call in “sick”.
Long weekends and holidays were even better. We wiped out the liquor store, and invaded someone’s backyard to play games, sit around the fire and “chill” - at least I think that’s what we did… I can’t remember all the details. Often times someone was heading off to the lake and everyone piled into their cars not to be heard from again until Tuesday. I wish I had more of those memories.
Special events we’re always in our schedule. Even before I was an event planner, they were just what you did to fill your time. Canada Day at Waterfront Park. The Calgary Stampede. The PNE Fair. Taste of Saskatchewan. Music festivals. Derby Days. Cruise Night. It didn’t really matter. You went where the action was and where the people were.
However, now looking back at it all, I wonder if I would make the same decisions if I could do it all over again. When I was younger I was very naive. I don’t know if everyone is, or if it is because I was raised in a bubble that I ignorantly plowed through my 20’s. But I seemingly made more mistakes and chalked up more regrets than lifelong memories in those years. I told myself that I was young and that I had my whole life ahead of me.
I worked SO much—too much. I was raised to work. “It’s a Berg thing”. I worked for a year with an older cousin and it was noted time and time again that Sam and I had the best work ethic of the entire team. Whenever it was mentioned we would simultaneously state (with a shrug) “It’s a Berg thing”. Now, while I’m proud of that fact and there is nothing to be ashamed of for working hard, perhaps working hard and working too much are not one in the same.
I didn’t embrace or capitalize on the time I had while I was single - or at least without kids enough. And while I was correct in thinking I had my whole life ahead of me, it wasn’t what I assumed it would be. See, life changes drastically when you have three kids in less than two years.
Now, I don’t even notice Friday has come until someone tells me that it’s Sunday afternoon as the days just fade into the next. For three years now, weekends haven’t mattered to me at all. Monday is no different than Friday, and Saturday and Wednesday could be interchanged as well. You don’t sleep in and the kids are on the same schedule.
And as for long weekends? Well, now I’m going to have to listen to some religious podcast on the topic of “jealousy” because God knows the church service will be long over before I can pack up my kids to go and repent of my jealous thoughts as I watch all the single kids and infant/toddler-free adults take off for the weekend leaving me behind.
These days, I don’t have any “time to fill”. In fact, I laugh at the thought of that. Going out to special events takes too much effort now - and coming from an event planner whose biggest passion in life is events, that’s saying a lot. Canada Day fireworks and celebrations are too late now. They don’t have “kid friendly” food at the food truck festival. The air show is too loud for the kids. There are too many people at the PNE. And playing games, drinking beer and sitting around a fire? Yeah, OK.
I realize this isn’t every parent’s reality and I realize that when my kids are older, things will change again as more options will become viable. But for today in my reality, I was told it’s the Friday of a long weekend and sadly that means nothing to me. Unless of course you’re coming over to watch my kids for a few days. Then, that would mean the world to me!
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