Details aren’t important.

I only want to state that I gently lectured my 97 year-old mother about never surrendering her power.

She sometimes doubts herself and lends the power to her aide or other peripheral people.

She remains sharp and relentlessly coherent that’s why I always push to empower her.

Fast forward to later on in the day.

I assumed the role of my mother in relationship to my father.

i was going to the Yankees playoff game with my daughter. David is not a sports enthusiast so Courtny is my sports plus one…always!

I was leaving before the dogs’ dinnertime.

The serving size, meds, directions became too complicated for my husband so I prepared their dinner and left it on the kitchen counter which opened up another can of worms as the dogs became clued to the kitchen floor, awaiting their feeding.

I also left a meal for my highly intelligent, exceedingly competent husband, but the prep questions were endless so I left the food out in Tupperware with handwritten instructions.

The hypocrisy of the situation was that earlier in the day I was empowering my mother and by sunset I was aiding and betting in the tradition of 50’s housewife, Donna Reed.

Women are natural caregivers, planners, multitaskers, working in the office and at home, constantly conflicted while juggling both worlds.

We are incapable of surrendering the desire to do it all.

Thankfully, we are professionally breaking down barriers, but the reality is that there will always be the ever responsible, iconic Donna Reed family organizer/nurturer in most of us.