Be Prepared

Does Womenzwerk naturally make us crazy or really prepared?

I find it really funny that the long standing motto of the Boy Scouts is "Be Prepared". Perhaps it was developed by well-meaning Den Mothers who were steeped in the tradition of Womenzwerk and truly felt that they could teach boys to become attention-oriented young men who would plan ahead and begin to relieve women of the tedious responsibility of handling every precious detail of life. Nice try, ladies. I've yet to meet a current or former Boy Scout who really knew the meaning of being prepared. Instead, I've met many frustrated men and women who can't connect on what it means to be prepared for any situation.

Womenzwerk demands that we be constantly thinking ahead. When someone asks our husband if we want to go on a trip to the Bahamas. He says "yes", thinking of sunny beaches and rounds of golf. He calls us crazy when we hesitate for that split second of time about something that seems like a no-brainer to him. Our hesitation is based on what goes through our heads when we hear that same invitation. We think about what shape our suitcases are in, which of the kids need new shorts and bathing suits, what we'll need to do at Curves to get ready to be on a beach, who will water the plants, who can let the dogs out, whether the money is in the bank and how we'll reschedule the doctor's appointment we already have set for that week. We think about the work we'll have to do to catch up when we return, including the hundreds of e-mails at work and the mounds of laundry. Our anxiety peaks before we even get to the thought of Mai-Tai's on sunkissed beach chairs. Are we crazy? Is our never ending Womenzwerk robbing us of joy? Or are we the ones keeping it all together and simply being totally prepared?

The same thing happens around every holiday; every overnight visit from friends, family or our kids friends; and on every Sunday night as we lay out the week's clothes and make our to-do lists. Men, those Boy Scouts of old, seem to be much more centered. But if we simply acted more like men, would the rest of it just go away as they seem to think it would? Would it all just be handled? Would anyone care? I don't know the answers, but I really believe that Womenzwerk greases the skids of life and I do believe our attention to detail and ability to plan ahead would be missed by all. But then, maybe I AM crazy.

So, what do you think...are we crazy or just crazy prepared?