Thursday, April 12, 2007

Which Part Is Mine?


Does anyone else feel like this???

As I was struggling to balance my time last night, I was reminded of a song by Michael McLean called "Which Part Is Mine?"
I'm NOT a big Michael McLean fan--most of his stuff is a bit too cheesy for me, but I do love this song because it bears such a striking resemblance to my life.
The first time I heard it, I had just turned 14. My dad was a dairy farmer, and I was learning to sing alto for one of my Young Women goals. The first verse caught my attention immediately because the girl in the song could have been me.
Now I'm living the second verse of the song almost to the letter. Here are the words:

She was only a dairyman's daughter; She was only a child of 13.
But the stars on the radio brightened her nights with a dream.
So she called up her best girl friend Jenny,
'cause she thought they would make quite a pair.
She said, "Let's you and me, try to sing harmony at the ameteur night at the fair."
But she only had the range of an alto, so the part she knew best went to her friend.
And when Jenny's soprano drowned out the piano, they'd have to start over again.
And the dairyman's daughter would then say, "Which part is mine, and Jen, which part is yours? Could you tell me one more time, I'm never quite sure. And I won't cross the line, like I have before, so please help me learn which part is mine, and which part is yours."

She grew up and got married to Toddy
(okay, the song really says Bobby, but Toddy works too);
Kept him working on his MBA.
They had two little red-headed children and one on the way.
Everybody said she could work wonders
And she wondered what everyone meant.
She played so many roles it was taking it's toll,
And she feared that her time was misspent.
So she opened her heart to her husband;
They discussed everything on her list
From the kids, to the job, to her feelings for Todd
But what it really boiled down to, was this:
She said, "Which part is mine, and Todd, which part is yours?
Let's review it one more time. I guess I'm not sure."
And I won't cross the line, like I have before,
If you'll just define which part is mine, and which part is yours.

Every sleepless night knows many mothers,
Who are wondering if they've done alright.
And the dairyman's daughter knew more than a few of those nights.
Had she given her son too much freedom?
Had she smothered her two teenage girls?
Did she spoil them too much, or not trust them enough
To prepare them for life in this world?
So she opened her heart to the heavens, and she spoke of her children by name.
And the prayer that she prayed that her kids would be saved,
Had a very familiar refrain:
Which part is mine? And God, which part is yours?
Could you tell me one more time, I'm never quite sure.
And I won't cross the line, like I have before,
But it gets so confusing sometimes.
Should I do more? Or trust the divine?
Please just help me define which part's mine, and which part is yours.

Anyway, that's how I'm feeling today. I'm in the wrong season of life to have a hobby like quilting. All the ladies in my quilt guild are older and they're kids are grown, so when we got together for our meeting last night, and they were all two months ahead on our block-of-the-month project, I started to get frustrated (I'm two months behind, and found out that one of those months requires five blocks). I'm debating whether to keep trying or just give up on it now.
I learn so much from every quilt I make, and it helps me with my job (doing machine quilting for other people), so it's a hard decision for me. I wish I didn't have to work...but I do. I just fear that my kids get the raw end of the deal sometimes.

So, anyway, thanks for listening to me. I'm quite certain I'm not the only one who needs a few extra hours in her day. And now I better get moving so I can try to do some of the things on my list.

Don't you love this Mormanad, though? It's my favorite.
Oh, and just to clarify, I do NOT have "one on the way". I have three kids....two of them are red-headed. I guess the second verse is not exactly accurate.

5 comments:

smdc said...

Amen!! I am exactly where you are. And you said it perfectly. My refrain lately is "season of life." There are many things I've had to put away, even though it has killed me, and I'm slowly learning that feeling guilty is NOT a fruit of the spirit! (That's guilty, not quilty!:) I'm still struggling to find the line...

The time will come again...I hope!

Anonymous said...

Double amen and halleluiah!!

I am totally with the "season of life" club. I too commit myself to way too many things, and then just end up letting someone down. I have been forced (by way of a near mental-breakdown) to review my priorities and scale back my commitments. It is still a daily struggle.

As for quilting, if that is what gives you joy you should protect that. We all have to have our talents or hobbies that keep us sane. Your boys are growing up with you at home, and that's what they'll remember. We all just need to lower our expectations to a more realistic level.

I love you! Keep your head up, and know that you have friends in low places. :) hee hee
--Shauntae

Anonymous said...

Double amen and halleluiah!!

I am totally with the "season of life" club. I too commit myself to way too many things, and then just end up letting someone down. I have been forced (by way of a near mental-breakdown) to review my priorities and scale back my commitments. It is still a daily struggle.

As for quilting, if that is what gives you joy you should protect that. We all have to have our talents or hobbies that keep us sane. Your boys are growing up with you at home, and that's what they'll remember. We all just need to lower our expectations to a more realistic level.

I love you! Keep your head up, and know that you have friends in low places. :) hee hee
--Shauntae

Mother of the Wild Boys said...

Sorry, for some reason it posted twice. :{

Mindy said...

((hugs))! Isn't it nice to know that ALL of us feel this same way? It somehow makes me feel a little more sane... ;)