Just Call Me Babysitter

Tonight was my 4th night in a row spent babysitting. I love to babysit, I really do, but sometimes I'm not sure a 17-year-old spending all the free times she gets watching other people's children is healthy. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I went to straight from school to Descants practice to babysit and got home around 10:30 each night. Tonight I was looking forward to having a night off, and getting some rest or spending some time with the friends who feel like they never see me anymore. Well... last night while driving to a babysitting job, I got a call from a desperate parent in need of a babysitter for Friday (tonight) and asking would I be able to help. My initial thoughts were "No, I have so many other things I could be doing. Molly, just say no. Molly you haven't hung out with your friends in so long". My verbal response was "Yeah sure! Sounds great, I don't have plans. What time do you need me?"

I have problems saying no. I really really like helping people. I have a really really hard time turning people down. So tonight, I babysat for night number 4.

Waking up this morning, I was dreading it. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this is just one night. One Friday night out of the hundreds and hundreds I will have in my life, and if I can spend it doing a favor for someone else then right now I'm content. That was all it took. A simple change in my attitude and outlook and I went from viewing it as a wasted weekend to a good chance to help someone and play with little kids (Hooray!).

Margaret and Nathan were both wonderful. Margaret gave me a tour of the whole house (including both bathrooms and all the drawers in the kitchen) and we ate pizza and watched Toy Story. By the end of the movie both kids were passed out on the couch, and I had the privilege of carrying them one by one upstairs and into their beds. Oh, and I really liked this sign on the wall:

What I'm trying to get at here is basically this: Living today well doesn't mean doing everything you want or spending time trying to make yourself happy. Living today well is just as much about serving others as it is your own happiness, and most of time by doing the first thing, you get the second.