There are so many fabulous people out there, particularly wonderful women and mothers. There is the woman I watched on a news show recently showing her success in losing 163 lbs naturally by her own hard work and discipline. There’s the mother I see via Facebook making big changes by her efforts to help mothers in poverty. Then there is the mother I saw on a television show my husband was watching who has launched a children’s product that may soon guarantee her wealth.
Not to mention the mothers closer to home. The mother up the street who volunteers at a local jail, and the mother who is doing a segment on a local television show.
Some days, when I allow my views to be focused too much on other mothers, I can’t help but look at myself and wonder, “Why don’t I do anything fabulous?”
Which of course I do. We all do, but we don’t recognize it. Why? Because our fabulousness and greatness is often, very ordinary.
This morning I sat on the family room floor with my two youngest children banging on pots and pans while singing a song. We ended up singing much longer than planned, as I made up verses to appease my children’s begs of “one more verse.”
Fabulous or ordinary?
As I type this, I’m sitting on a couch cuddling with a 3-year-old who wants his back scratched, and next to a 5-year-old who really wanted me to do my work on the computer in the same room as him while he played.
Fabulous or ordinary?
The reality is, very few of us will ever do anything that will be noticed by hundreds of people at a time. Most of us will be ordinary, everyday, type people that the world will pay little attention to. We will never make the headlines and our names will never be known by thousands.
Yet it seems there is a polarized desire among mothers to do and be more. And just as we settle into those times in our lives when we think we’re okay the way we are, we hear about someone else who’s doing something different (read: different, NOT better) than what we’re doing and we’re right back to where we started. Thinking we’re ordinary, while someone else is fabulous.
In my own recent unsettled feelings to be more important or to do grander things, my mind went to two women I dearly love.
Both are mothers of grown children. One of these mothers has fed and welcomed more people into her home over the years than I could possibly count. Her children knew they were always welcome, as were their friends, to everything in her kitchen and fridge. She has spent more hours in the kitchen preparing dinners and desserts for guests than anyone I know. The other mother I thought of has spent quite possibly thousands of hours huddled into a very modest home raising six children in a house that many would consider too small for even two children. Her family has grown to include in-law children and grandchildren who enjoy each other’s company nearly every week, gathered in that same modest house, sitting around the kitchen table she has likely had for decades.
Neither of these women are curbing world hunger, neither have ever been on a television show, and neither of them have ever invented a successful new product. They do not have big bank accounts, have probably never driven a new car, and certainly their homes would never be in a decorating magazine.
These women’s accomplishments will never make newspaper headlines, nor will news of their deaths preempt regular television scheduling. Yet hands down, they are two of the most fabulous mothers I know. Or should I say ordinary?
How would you describe yourself?
Perhaps you have never been involved in ending world hunger, but how many hungry mouths did you feed last week or how many sack lunches have you made?
Fabulous or ordinary?
Perhaps you haven’t contributed much to the establishment of world peace. But how many temper tantrums have you thwarted?
Fabulous or Ordinary?
Maybe you haven’t found a cure to a horrible disease, but how many times have you placed a hand to a fevered forehead or covered an owie with a bandaid?
Fabulous or ordinary?
I bet your picture has never graced the front of a glossy magazine, but how many times have you been drawn by your loving children – as a stick figure or with a big round circle tummy?
Fabulous or Ordinary?
What do we want our children to think of us?
Ask your children right now something they think is fabulous about you. I’ll bet their answer is something really quite ordinary. In fact, I did just that. I just asked my 5-year-old, “What is something fabulous about me?” His answer, “You tuck me in bed at night.”
Fabulous or Ordinary?
By the proverbial standards of the world, it’s easy to classify the majority of mothers, by virtue of what we do, day in and day out, as ordinary. But make sure you don’t forget to use the word ‘fabulous’ in front of that description.
Here’s to being fabulously ordinary!
Challenge: Ask your children to tell you something they think is fabulous about you. Write it down and place it somewhere you can see often.
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Rachel says
Tiffany, this was beautiful, inspiring, and well said. Thank you.
Koni says
I love you, Tiffany!! This is SO great! I also LOVE the photo of you and your little one – the expression on both of your faces!! 🙂 I, like you, love being ordinary!!
Alisha Gale says
I did a little twist on the challenge and I asked my kids what is the most important thing moms do. They answered that the most important thing a mom does is take care of her kids and teach them to be good. I think they’re right! I realized that the care-taking and teaching come in very ordinary situations, but the net effect is definitely fabulous. Thanks, Tiffany!
lisa mclaughlin says
Well said Tiffany! You made me feel fabulous even though all the things I do are very ordinary. Thanks for your inspiring words
April Perry says
LOVE this Tiffany! Love you.
Sarah McKenna says
Love it. I asked my 9 month old what was fabulous about me. She babbled “ma” which is what she cries out when she is hungry and wants to breastfeed. Ordinary to me, fabulous to her. 🙂
Allyson says
Ahhhh! This may be one of my all-time favorites from you. Fantastic!
maurie says
I believe being a mom can be fabulously ordinary. I will try to remember this each and every day! Thanks for sharing Tiffany! OO
Cheryl says
This article is fabulous Tiffany!
Natalie Ellis says
So great! We do ourselves such a disservice when we compare our weaknesses with other people’s strengths. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Bonnie says
Thank you Tiffany. Just what I needed to hear.
Kristen Olsen says
Today I was really feeling down on myself and am really thankful I read this. Thank you for reminding me that despite the things I do that may seem ordinary to most, I am pretty fabulous at it!
Claudia says
needed to hear something like this so badly… thank you!
heatha100 says
My friend sent this to me when I posted on facebook, “I should be happy that the kids are dressed and fed everyday, right?!” So, thank you. I am happy and fulfilled as mom. But when things don’t go according to plan (almost every day) I will remember this! bellesbazaar-heather.blogspot.com
michelle says
I need a constant reminder of this on a daily basis. Thank you! Thank you!
Adina says
Amazing! I love this. Someone finally touting the everyday things that we do as Moms. As my friend says “All Moms are heroes!”
Andrea says
Tiffany, you are so right. I love that our kids love us no matter what. They just want our love and attention don’t they? They could care less what the mother down the street does…so we shouldn’t either. 🙂 Thanks for writing this!
lgalg2 says
I loved this, very good, all mom’s should be very proud!
Debra Jo says
Sweet post!
charbaly says
Thank you for this! I need to read it daily!
Dawn Wessman says
Tiffnay, this is spot on. Thank you for helping me to rejoice in the ordinary. What a gift to have this perspective!
Callie Moon says
I love this. Life is amazing in its everyday beauty. Thank you for the reminder.