Revision

Remember those old Peace Corps commercials in which a big booming voice a la James Earl Jones says, “Peace Corps: The toughest job you’ll ever love.”?

I’ve never been in the Peace Corps, but a good friend of mine has, and we agree: The Peace Corps is not the toughest job you’ll ever love. Parenthood is.

I’ve held many challenging jobs in my life. I’ve worked under extreme deadlines. I’ve worked on Friday and Saturday nights — from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. I’ve been called into work when astronauts were in orbit. I’ve worked with sexist jerks. I’ve worked 40+ hours a week — for free. Heck, I’ve worked in food services. But nothing — nothing — compares to being a mom.

It’s frustrating. It’s overwhelming. It’s exhausting. It can be scary. And more than once I’ve felt like breaking down in tears (perhaps I even have cried once or twice)…

But it can also be fun. It can be surprising. It can be rewarding in ways I never expected — and ways I am still discovering. In short, I am convinced that parenthood is the toughest job you’ll ever learn to love.

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