I'm Glad You're Here!!!

An eclipse obscures light from the moon or sun. There is also another definition of eclipse: to make less outstanding or important.

When I told my husband the name of my new blog, Ordinary Eclipsed, he crinkled his nose and looked at me with a blank stare. "What’s that supposed to mean?” he said. I immediately doubted the name that only a few hours earlier I thought was a brilliant, thought provoking moniker. Then I doubted the whole project. Who really cares what I think? But millions of people are doing it. Why shouldn't I try it?

I explained to my bewildered mate that while I love being a wife and mother, I can’t ignore my dreams. Yes, I know my kids would say their mom is extraordinary. Who better to kiss the booboo than your mom? And no one can mend a hole in your pants or make chocolate chip cookies on a snowy day better than mom. While I’m telling my daughters they can do anything if they work hard for it, shouldn’t I be doing the same?

After I’ve kissed them goodnight and listened to my husband review his day, rant about politics, or discuss the latest sports news, I’m left to wonder. I used to know exactly what I wanted out of life. I’ve got part of that. Great husband, check. Great kids, check. But there is something else, that only I can do, that has no check mark.

So I explained to my bewildered mate that I want to do something extraordinary. I don’t mean extraordinary in terms of being revered for my looks or personality. I want to do something extraordinary. Something I can sit back and say that was good and I did it. I’m still waiting for that to happen. I have many ideas but they are usually eclipsed by things more important (you know driving my daughter to dance class or doing laundry).

I can’t get to extraordinary because it’s blocked, hence eclipsed, by the ordinary.  Stuff keeps getting in the way (and I’ll be the first to admit it is mainly me). 

But this blog is not to lament my ordinariness but to celebrate a journey. I’m not sure I know where I’m going, but my bags are packed and I’m in the car. Perhaps there are others waiting in the garage too; waiting to figure out which way to go. I hope to see you on the highway. I’ll be the one driving with a husband riding shotgun and three kids arguing in the back seat. But for now I’m stuck in the land where Ordinary is Eclipsed and maybe that's okay too. For now.