Are You a Human Being or a Human Doing?

I am inspired to write about something that is always in the back of my mind, especially since I became a mother. I read an article in the Families Cheshire magazine, and the title was Mindfulness, the secret to happy parenting. It was advertising a local parental coaching company, but I totally agreed with the subject in question.

Many of my local parent friends have been struggling with feelings of guilt that they are not doing enough activities with their younger children, as they did with their older ones. When my youngest was a baby, I also partially succumbed to these feelings, until I realized what was happening, took a deep breath, and reminded myself that it is not important. My baby daughter had plenty of time yet to play, explore, develop and grow. She did it every day, and she didn’t care if we were at home playing with toys, in the park playing on the swings, or rushing about from one social activity to another. It’s all the same to a baby!

During recent months I have taken some time to consider my current position in life. I felt that I should be doing more about my career. Then I felt that I should be returning to regular paid employment to help my husband pay off our combined debts and keep the household finance running smoothly. Then I worried that while I was busy trying to get a job/commuting to work/being tired from work and everything else that my mind conjured up, that I would neglect my children when they are at their most vulnerable. Phew! The human mind, and human emotions are very potent, and often very damaging tools.

So now I am taking stock of my life. Yes, we could use more money in the family. So could millions of other people in the world. Yes, I want to develop my career further (and I refuse to give up on my dream of achieving a Big Book Deal resulting in a film franchise), but you know what? It doesn’t matter. Right now I enjoy cuddles and playtime with my girls. This morning I lifted my face to the sun and rejoiced in the clean, fresh air and the beautiful town in which I live. Right now I am a human being, and that is where I want to be.

How about you? Are you a human being, or are you a human doing?

Catherine is the author of the adult paranormal romance series The Redcliffe Novels and also The Darkness of Love, She has short stories published in YA anthologies, freelance articles on various industry websites, and contributes to her personal blog, and her author blog .

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