Monday, August 9, 2010

Musings courtesy of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

We just watched "The Game Plan" the other night, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.  His movies always bring on deep thinking and introspection. Seriously, though, this movie got me thinking.  In the movie, the main character has an 8 year old daughter show up on his doorstep and disrupt his self-centered single life.  After taking care of her by himself for 1 month, he's crushed to see her go and ready to have her live with him full-time.

I don't know about you, but it sure took me more than a month to adjust to being a new parent. In fact, the first 6 weeks of being a new mom were some of the most unpleasant ones I've ever had.  I kept hearing people talk about what a beautiful it was to be a new mom, and all I thought was that I was completely overwhelmed and exhausted. Granted, there were some extenuating circumstances including nursing not working, the baby eating every hour on the hour, and still weighing 6 pounds at 6 weeks old.  Some of the problem came, though, from just having my life completely turned around and disrupted.  Apparently my life before having kids was as selfish and self-centered as a professional football player.

I don't know if it's because I was a little older when I got married and started having kids, or if it's because I worked in the business world for so long before having kids, but becoming a mom was a difficult adjustment for me. I love being a mom now, and having child #2 was not a huge adjustment.  I guess I had already emotionally surrendered myself to my children and putting them first. It was just a matter of adding him into our life and schedule rather than find a brand new life and schedule for myself.

I love that much of my life revolves around my children now. I love that having children has taught me to be less selfish and put someone else's needs first.  I also know that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson certainly knows how to adjust to these things much faster than I did.