Sunday, October 9, 2011

What Really Matters

An interesting assignment for my Art and Human Values class. We were given this list of twenty values to order as we think they are prioritized in our lives. I put them in the order that made sense for me...

20 Ordered Values

1)Family

2)Friendship

3)Creativity

4)Health

5)Security

6)Wisdom

7)Integrity

8)Location

9)Loyalty

10)Community

11)Enjoyment

12)Service

13)Personal Development

14)Personal Accomplishment

15)Expertness

16)Power

17)Independence

18)Leadership

19)Wealth

20)Prestige


...then I listed things that I did that day and how they correspond to my values. I discovered some unexpected correspondences....

How I spent my day and the values that correspond to these activities

-Made breakfast for kids and dressed them (family, health, service)

-Showered (enjoyment, personal accomplishment)

-Packed kids school lunches (family, health, service)

-Took kids to school (family, service)

-Drank tea and juice at coffee shop (health, community, enjoyment)

-Responded to emails (friendship, security, integrity, location, loyalty, community, enjoyment, service)

-Worked on charter school paperwork (family, security, wisdom, integrity, location, loyalty, community, power)

-Did school work (security, wisdom, personal development, personal accomplishment, expertness, power, independence, leadership, wealth, prestige)

-Picked up kids from school (family, service)-Made food and fed us (family, health, service)

-Took lots of supplements (health, security)

-Put child down for nap (family, health, service)

-Cleaned up kitchen (service, expertness)

-Read stories to daughter (family, integrity, enjoyment, service)

-attempted to work on school work more, but daughter wouldn’t let me (family, security, wisdom, personal development, personal accomplishment, expertness, power, independence, leadership, wealth, prestige)

-Put away folded laundry (service, expertness)

-Attempted to work on homework some more

-Took son to dance class (family, creativity, service)

-Did some grocery shopping (family, health, service)

-Bought more herbal medicines and consumed some (health, security)

-Bought dinner to go from natural food store deli (health, service)

-Did errand for supplies for school science project (security, wisdom, personal accomplishment, expertness, power, independence, leadership, wealthy, prestige)

-Stopped home to get laundry off clothesline (family, service, expertness)

-Went to son’s choir concert (family, creativity, loyalty, community, enjoyment, service)

-Uploaded photos and videos of concert to computer for children to see (family, loyalty, enjoyment, service)

-Bathed children and put to bed (family, service)-Called cousin (family, integrity, loyalty)

-Watered houseplants (enjoyment, service)-Spent time comforting emotional son (family, loyalty, service)

-Made medicinal tea for our colds (family, health, security, service)

-Returned more emails (friends, security, integrity, location, loyalty, community, enjoyment, service)

-Began schoolwork again and worked until I could not keep my eyes open any longer (security, wisdom, personal development, personal accomplishment, expertness, power, independence, leadership, wealth prestige)

...housework is for expertness? Yes, for me it is, because I'm working on the image that I present for myself and others...

...school work is security? Yes, it keeps the student loans coming, makes me feel like a responsible person, and keeps me headed toward future security...

I thought I was not serving others enough lately, but I see that as a mother, that is what I do all day and night. My service is within my own family at this time...

...but where is my focus on friendship in all of this? Email is the only way I am in contact with friends, and even that is minimal. I am not surprised. I am overwhelmed with school and children, yet, this is a goal to work toward. I love my friends, and must find time for them before long. And, if I am ever to pursue a partnership, ever, ever again, friendship must be in there. It is withing the deepest friendships that we begin to create family. Number 1 and 2 on my list are essentially interchangeable and that is the missing part of the expression of my value system.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Gotta point out that all of your mothering activities are also "expert" activities. You are amazing, Ani, and your hard work each day is paying off in your wonderful children, your sense of accomplishment and your continuing progress in your education. You have so much to be proud of! And when you post it up here or do your emailing, your friends can and do take notice. Nice work.

Wind said...

Friends all around you. Loving you.