Reflections from Downtown

Yesterday, the kids and I headed out on the Blue Line and went to downtown LA. They had a blast on the light rail train. We arrived downtown underground just like a subway in New York. The kids thought that was cool. I was secretly praying that there wouldn't be an earthquake.

Once out in the open air, we were caught in the frenzied lunch rush from all the office workers leaving their high rise buildings. We decided we were hungry too, so we walked across the street right to a little outdoor mall. Lots of eateries. Chinese food sounded good so we ate at Panda Express. We were lucky enough to find a place to sit down.

That's when the thoughts invaded my head. Everywhere you looked were what seemed to be high powered men and women. Nice clothes, nice shoes, nice everything. Taking a break from their high powered jobs for a bite to eat. I wondered about them. What were their lives like? Did they have a happy home life? Did these men have a wife at home caring for their children? Or did their wives also have a nice career? Did these women have a family or were they focused and driven in their careers? Did they go to far away cities on business, go to dinner parties?

For a brief moment, I envied them. For a brief moment I wished I had a career with a high salary. I wished that I could yak it up with the rest of them out there in an adult conversation.

But then I looked at the faces of my beautiful children sitting right in front of me. How privileged I was to be able to sit with them and listen to what was in their hearts, even if it was silly. How could I wish for something different? I love the life I am living. How thankful to God I am, that at this time, this moment, I can be here for them. I can be a stay at home mom. Financially, it is hard. There may come the time, that I will have to go back to work outside the home.

We finished our lunch, took a little walk to look around at all the unique buildings, then took the train back to our car. We went home to our normal life. The place we like the best. We waited for dad to come home to tell him all about our trip.

I thank God that He has placed me where I am right now.