Last week, I forgot to call my sister for her birthday. It’s not that I forgot her birthday because I was actually thinking about her all day at work. The thing is that sometimes life has a funny way of happening and detouring our previous plans. That is exactly what happened that evening…
It was last Thursday and I worked all day and was actually worried throughout the workday because my 5 year old’s asthma kicked in right on schedule with the season and weather changes. I kept him home that day because his chest was pretty tight and I didn’t want to chance sending him to school and him having an attack without his father or I being around. Luckily, I am able to do this and not worry because my husband works nights and he is home during the day if I ever have to keep the kids home because they are sick.
That afternoon, I called my husband from the car when I got home and asked him to bring the boys out to me so I could take them to the doctor. I figured I might as well take advantage and also take my 8 year old in for his annual physical since I was already going in with the little one. We arrived at the doctor’s office around 4:30 p.m. and did not get out of there until about 7:00 p.m. Just as I had suspected, my little one had Bronchitis and our Pediatrician suggested I keep him home from school on Friday too just to make sure he had time to recuperate.
The next day, on Friday afternoon, I realized that I had forgotten to call my sister for her birthday the night before. I immediately sent her a text message apologizing and explaining what had happened with my son getting sick and that I would call her later. Of course, I never got any kind of a response except a message from my mother that my sister thought it was “messed up” that I had not called her on her birthday. Surprise, surprise…
I understand that birthdays are special days and that one expects to get well wishes and phone calls from friends and loved ones. However, it’s not like I deliberately set out to ignore her birthday or that I was unaware that it was her birthday altogether. I’m very sorry that not calling her on the day hurt her feelings. The truth is that I do what I can, when I can on any given day.
Nobody can fully understand the pressures of being a mother and having a full-time career. Somedays, it just seems like Murphy’s Law really does exist and that “everything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Other days, you feel like you just break even and you get a fraction of what you set out to accomplish that day actually done. Once in a very blue moon, you get it all done and feel like you are on top of the world.
So, I guess the moral of this story is that I do care. Just because I don’t have time to call you every single day or I sometimes don’t get to call you on special days due to unforeseen circumstances, does not mean that you are not important to me. If we can’t get together as often as we used to it just means that we are both very busy and that is okay too. At the end of the day, I will be there when it really matters so cut me some slack on those days when I can’t come through because I will definitely make it up to you when it counts…
© 2011, Tough Cookie Mommy. All rights reserved.
I totally understand. Sometimes if I don’t write it down I totally forget to do it and life just gets in the way. Being a mom is a lot of work. It takes a lot of patience and leaves little time for yourself.
I never understood the birthday thing. Congratulations, you were born. Seems to me the birthday person should be calling mom and dad to thank them. I guess its just me.The Cranky Old Man
oh my friend…my family and especially my kids would laugh at this…they know their momma is horrible at remembering birthdays but that I make up for it at Christmas! I truly understand! And it is enough that we feel terrible once we slow down enough to remember, let alone it made worse by someone telling us how terrible it is that we have forgotten! Hugs, my friend…..you can forget my birthday and I won’t feel bad at all! LOL…
Aww Maria, you had your hands full that day and you have your priorities. Not calling doesn’t mean you don’t love her. Hope your boy is all better now. Hugs!
As the Queen of Late B-Day wishes, I understand completely and I don’t even have little ones at home. I suggest you loan her your kids for a day or two and THEN she’ll understand. She’ll get over it!
Kinda makes me glad I have brothers, they’re kinda easy going about that kind of thing. In any case I would have thought a sick kid and an apology would have been more then enough of an excuse, sorry for your troubles 🙁
Totally with you on this. I think your sister is being overly sensitive about this. To me, the phone call is much less important than the actual thoughts. You were thinking about her all day, EVEN with all that was going on. This should count for way more than the absent phone call. Sorry about that 🙁