I was just an infant when The Who first blasted out the song “The Seeker” in 1971. Okay, I was a toddler if you want to get picky. PLEASE don’t do the math! The point is, no matter when it was written and first performed, the song could easily be the anthem of my life. I was, am and will probably always remain a “seeker”.
I am always searching….searching for something that, to this point, has remained elusive. Around every corner I assume there is a BBD (bigger, better deal). That true happiness, satisfaction, contentment, will all be mine if I continue to try new things, never slow down, and basically work myself into a frazzle in an often purposeless pursuit of some ideal. But the ideal what? That’s the question I pose to you, my fellow seekers….what is it we’re seeking anyway?
As I mentioned, this “seek and ye shall find” mentality is an inherent part of my personality. But I believe it has been exacerbated by both my life circumstances and my decision to become a stay at home mother after my first child was born.
Since his arrival in 2000, I have started and stopped graduate school (twice! And am considering starting again - still trying to find just the right program that will lead me to that place of peace). I have worked full time outside the home, full time at home, worked part time, started a business or two, written a book and contributed to several anthologies and magazines. I have moved my family back and forth across the country (my husband is a seeker as well and his personal and professional pursuits have taken us to multiple “ports of call”), having lived in four different states and God only knows how many different homes over the course of that nine years. I have born and raised two beautiful children and maintained a successful marraige. You’d think I would be happy! Or at the very least, extremely tired.
And yet I still find myself yearning for more - seeking something. What is that something? I truly believe it is balance - the balance that is the mission of LifeWork Alliance. Had I had a supportive work environment, I might have returned to my pre-baby career. How much could a business organization have benefited from all the energy, enthusiasm, creativity and commitment that I have spent over the last decade living my life on a fast flying tilt-a-whirl? Had I had an organization like LWA to turn to that would help me understand the changes I was experiencing, perhaps I could have taken a short cut to enlightenment. I have struggled, largely alone, to make sense of my life as woman, wife, mother.
With passion, professionalism and years of experience, LifeWork Alliance president and founder Christina Barlowe is also seeking. Seeking new and innovative ways that we can all find fulfillment in our lives. Regardless of the paths we have chosen for ourselves and our families, we all have the obligation to make our lives, the challenges and the successes, meaningful. One of the best ways to do that is to share our stories.
As The Who said so eloquently all those years ago:
I’m looking for me! You’re looking for you! We’re looking at each other And we don’t know what to do!
I say let’s find a solution together!
I will always be a seeker. Without that drive to look over each horizon I wouldn’t be the quintessential me. But I do look forward to finding a way to do it in a more peaceful, mindful way and perhaps enjoy the journey a bit more. It will be a joy and an honor to share my journey with you and have you share your journey with me on the pages of this blog. Seekers of the world, unite!
Tags: balance, family, life work issues, marriage, motherhood
