Is it worth it?

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Rosemary O'Brien is the author of one novel, First Saturday, and the owner of A Word or Two, LLC, a writing services business. As the mother of two small boys, military spouse and writer, she has a lot to say. Rosemary shares her interesting take on life by sharing her experiences of motherhood, life as a military spouse, working from home, and a host of other subjects. She is available for writing assignments, speaking engagements and instruction. Follow her on her journey through this interesting life called freelancing. www.awordortwo.net

Is it worth it?

Posted on October 23, 2009

Last night, I had to miss my mother’s weekly Roni Night. I had a backlog of work due to a computer crash and a week of mishaps. She called to ask if I enjoyed the meal she sent home with my family, complete with a piece of pie, some pumpkin bread and cookies. (She wanted me to have my choice of desserts!) She also asked another question. “Are you making enough money?” The implied question, which she has asked me before, was, “Is it worth it?”

This is a difficult question at the outset because I am not making enough money. I have had to lower my rates and take a number of assignments that I would not have taken in times when work was plentiful. The upside is that I am here at home for my family. If they should they need to be picked up from school immediately due to illness, I am ready to go. I may go with no makeup and sweats, but I can get there in an instant. And my sons come home to their own house rather than heading to daycare. This allows me to be parked on the couch for tonight’s movie night at 6pm rather than arriving home at 6, harried and trying to get dinner on the table in a reasonable amount of time. So the short answer is, “Yes.” It’s worth it despite the fact that we have had to cut corners recently. It’s worth it to be the boss of my own schedule, though at the mercy of clients. And it is worth being here for my sons despite the fact that I am frequently on the computer a little too long while they are home, wrapping up loose ends until I can return to my work after they go to bed for the night.

The economy will pick up sooner or later, but I will never get back these years with my sons.

It is so worth it.