Dutiful is (sometimes) Beautiful

"I slept and dreamt that life was Joy. I woke and saw that Life was Duty. I acted, and behold, Duty was Joy." 

--Unknown from a YogiTea tea bag

I was up all night with sick kids, after hosting a dinner party at which I drank WAY too much red wine. By all rights I should be a mess right now, but for some reason I feel pretty darn good. 

I spent the night lying all curled up at the bottom of my sons' beds; first one and then the other, moving whenever I heard that still, small voice calling out, "Mommy!"

"Mommy, I got sick again." 

"Mommy, I need some water." 

"Mommy, I wet the bed."

"Mommy, is it my turn for snuggles?"

Midnight, one AM, three AM, six AM....there may have been more, I kind of lost count somewhere along the way....

The funny thing is instead of feeling martyred or exhausted or hungover or even resentful (my husband was enjoying a blissfully uninterrupted night's sleep), I felt....dutiful. 

And that felt beautiful.