Maturity, Marjorie Pay Hinkley Style

"We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are." — Marjorie Pay Hinckley

 I stole that quote off a friend's blog, and right in time for my neighborhood cookie exchange this morning.  I thought about Sister Hinkley's quote as I tidied up this morning.  I enjoyed getting the house in shape in anticipation for my friends' arrival.  Before I was so wise - or lazy - I would have been crawling around on my hands and knees, scrubbing baseboards and cursing myself for letting the housework degenerate to such a degree.  Today, I wouldn't let insecurity steal my day.  There may have been crayon on the walls or socks under the bed, but I was satisfied with my efforts when the doorbell rang.

What was interesting, with this quote in mind, was that so many of the women, myself included, offered their plate of goodies with an apology.  "Sorry, my oven wasn't working...I made these really fast...I had to buy these...they turned out bad...I meant to make these other, better cookies..."  Of course, all of the treats were wonderful.  It makes me sad that we women, who are all here in the same divine role, compare ourselves to our sisters and find ourselves lacking.  We are not lacking.  We are amazing, all of us.  We have different strengths, so let's focus on those, instead of magnifying our weaknesses.  For example, at some point this morning, I had to just give up on finding the mascara.  I know it's rolling around on the floor of my car somewhere, and I wanted to look presentable for the cookie exchange, but because of Sister Hinkley's quote, I let it go.  This is what I look like.  In real life.  No apologies.

 I love the idea that not trying to prove something is a sign of maturity.  I have become pretty good - OK, really good - at saying no to things that I'm not good at and therefore would take up too much of my time and resources.  I am content with what I am, and I'm trying to let go of striving to be what I'm not.  I had a mom in the violin shop today who homeschools her son.  She said to me, "He's getting a classical education, he reads Euclid when he studies geometry," etc, etc.  Then she said, "If you have some extra time and you'd like to better your children's education, I can give you some materials."  When I was younger, I would have said, "Wow, great!  OK," and ended up with a stack of homeschooling materials sitting by my bed, making me feel guilty.  Today, I said, "It sounds exciting, but I really love our public schools, I have to say.  I'm going to let my kids' excellent teachers teach them the subjects I don't enjoy, so I can have time to teach the things I love with them after school."  Yesss!  Chalk one up to Marjorie Pay Hinkley for her wise advice.  She was truly a remarkable woman.  Just like you and the homeschooling mother and the friend whose oven was broken and...even me, with my bare eyelashes and square cookies.  Yep, I'm totally fine with that.  Call it my "comfortable pace!"