Find all of my 31 Moments of Motherhood posts here.
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[Lights come up, revealing a woman wearing black pants, bare feet, and a dressy tank top, covered with a hoodie. A leather briefcase, suit jacket, and a pair of high heels sit on the floor next to her.]
Me
“It has been eight years since I worked full time. [Picks up leather briefcase and starts to unpack a variety of kid-related items.] My briefcase has been part of our dress-up collection for some time, and my work shoes? [Picks up shoes and blows a layer of dust off of them] They have been gathering dust in the back of my closet. As a matter of fact, they might not be in style anymore.
[Shrugs, and slides them on.]
“Everyone takes a different path, but I never could have imagined how the first several years of my mothering turned out. It has been the most challenging, but rewarding time of my life so far.”
[Takes off hoodie and puts on suit jacket.]
Me
“I never thought I would want to stop working, and now I’m finding it difficult to stomach the idea of going back.”
[Pulls piece of paper out of briefcase and steps forward into an “interview”.]
Me
“Why yes, I am very interested in the position.”
[pause, listening and nodding head]
Me
“My goals? I am committed to actively contributing to the success of an organization, increasing in responsibility over time. It is very important to me that I have opportunities to grow personally and professionally, so that I can better meet…”
[Stops abruptly.]
“Wait. Let me try that again. It is very important to me that I contribute to the success of an organization, while maintaining the ability to care for my family. Flexibility is essential.”
[Breaks stance, puts paper inside briefcase and sets it down before walking to the front of the stage, talking to audience]
Me
“Of course, what they might not realize is that being a mother makes me a better employee. I am more empathetic, disciplined, and able to multi-task like no one’s business. Being successful is still important to me, but the definition of success means so much more to me now than a title on a nameplate. Being successful has as much to do with how present I am with my kids while we are having an impromptu dance party or being able to watch them take their own tentative steps into independence.”
“I don’t know what the next stage of my life will look like, but I do know this…”
[A new spotlight emerges, lighting up a safe with a padlock. She picks up a few toys and walks over to the safe. She pauses, and instead of putting the toys inside, she closes the safe door and tucks the toys inside her briefcase. Patting it, she smiles, and starts to walk offstage.]
[Lights down]
