Hard vs Good: Real Talk | Elisabeth McKnight

I found these ramblings as a draft post from the middle of Ben’s first semester of business school last fall. I’m not sure why it didn’t get published last year, but as we gear up to start another busy fall, I thought it was a great time to share. Hard isn’t the opposite of wonderful.

Can we get real for a hot second or two?

Part of this transition to life here in Boston has been kicking my butt (and we’re trying not to use that word because Lincoln repeats everything I say these days).

Part of this transition is so awesome. Like the gorgeous campus we live on. And the amazing people we live next to. And the park steps from our door. And the magical fall leaves starting to change. And the one hour drive to my parents. And the beautiful Charles river out our window.

But part of it is HARD.

And I’m sure a big part of it is just because I had Ben home all summer while we were living with my parents …. so I was only doing part time parenting and part time homemaking and quite a bit more part time working. And then all the sudden we’re here and I’m into full time parenting, full time homemaking, part time working, and another part time job of supporting Ben (events! more events! and more events!).

And I feel pretty silly complaining about anything when I step back and look at the big picture because if I could design my life, this is where we’d be. Right here. At this school, with our babies, in these apartments (although if I”m designing everything I’d throw in a few more square feet and a couple less stairs).

And sometimes I also feel silly that I can’t manage to have me + my kids dressed, my house clean, and meals cooked all on the same day.

Or have enough energy in the evening to be engaged and present and interested in everything Ben’s learning at school.

And sometimes I pull it together. And bang out blog posts + emails during naptime so I can make it to girls night in the evening.

All of that to say, just hard isn’t the opposite of good and sometimes I need to take a step back to appreciate where we are.