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It’s been a weird week for me. I feel like I have gotten a lot done, a lot more than I expected that I would. Yet, I look at my ever-growing to-do list and feel a bit overwhelmed. There are midwife and doctor appointments. There is paid work to do and deadlines to meet. There is a massive amount of data to be analyzed for my doctoral thesis. There’s unending laundry. There is that guilty feeling that I’m behind with replying to beautiful messages from my friends. Then there is also the mum-guilt feeling of missing out on time with my daughter as I have to work. In general, there is that feeling of being behind.

Then I take a deep breath, step back, and remember that everyone is trying to get to the top of their own mountain. Despite the challenges mentioned, I am so very lucky I have such a supportive team of midwives, doctors, and social workers who provide such support for my daughter and I with such care. Although there are many sleepless nights, I am thankful that I have paid work and I continue to be employed, especially now as a single mother. I’m grateful I have this scholarship that also provides me with meaningful work. I am fortunate to have wonderfully loving friends and family who have helped me create this new home. Everyone is just trying their best to get to the top of their own mountain – may it be finishing their degree, saving for a house, hoping to conceive their first child, finishing their degree, looking for work, trying to get home to be reunited with family, and so many others. It’s also very easy to feel complacent during times of plenty. The pandemic has certainly provided a new perspective on many aspects of the life we all used to live.

The challenge is to find your own balance and to not lose yourself in life’s highs and lows. I am grateful for a very dear friend who has reminded me of this – stay humble during the good times and stay hopeful during the bad times.

Fall down. Make a mess. Break something occasionally. Know that your mistakes are your own unique way of getting to where you need to be. And remember that the story is never over.Conan O'Brien

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