What about my needs?....

I saw this picture on Pinterest this morning and I had to stop and think for a minute. My reaction to this was twofold--

1) How true

2) How sad

Is this how most mothers really feel about their role? And I realized, sadly--it is. 

The scene of the nightly dinner table came into my head. 

I make the dinner, put it on the table, dish up kids' plates, cut up food, get out the condiments they are begging for, realize I forgot something to drink, go to the fridge to find there is nothing there and no one wants to settle for water...so I run to the storage room to get some juice, come back upstairs, get out glasses and fill them up for everyone, replenish condiments that have already been used up in the first two bites, get a new fork for the kid who dropped theirs on the floor, grab some napkins to put a stop the the "shirt napkin", grab my plate and begin to dish up my own dinner, only to have someone's juice spill all over my plate and the rest of the table, clean up the mess the best I can- leaving the major cleaning for after dinner, pour some more juice for the distraught child....FINALLY-- dish up my own dinner and sit down---and and that moment my husband stands up, picks up his dishes, delcares, "Thanks for dinner Honey"-- and puts his plate in the sink...And I eat dinner by myself with some dirty dishes--as kids scramble off to play.

(Insert Quote Here)

Then I realize in my self pity, I have missed the point entirely. I signed up for this. I got married young, had kids young, and agreed to take on the sacred responsibilities of wife and mother. And here I am, belittling the opportunity I have been given Then.... I realize, it's all a matter of perspective.

Take the same dinner scene--with a new perspective.

I had the opportunity to be home to make dinner for my family--because my husband works hard to make it a priority for me to be there. I have three beautiful children who depend on me to take care of them, and they know I will always be there no matter how trivial the request. I dish up food, and clean up messes, and put off my own selfish desires to serve the people I love. I receive gratitude for my efforts and then I am  left to enjoy my dinner in relative peace and quiet. 

It IS all a matter of perspective....and while I'm certain I will still have way too many moments of selfish "what about my needs?" moments, I think I'll pin this picture to help remind me of what I should be thinking instead.