You see, this week alone, 3 people that I either knew personally or knew of passed away, unexpectedly.  Causes range from a sudden heart attack to a seizure.  The surprising thing is all the recent deceased were under 40.

When you hear of young people who suddenly die, it begs the question “What happened”? Hey, I’m sure if the dead could speak, the deceased might be wondering the exact same thing.  As younger people, we move in a sort of invincible way; a little like my little boy’s favorite superhero, “Bipperman” (Spiderman.) We take everyday for granted and we rarely think about tomorrow. We eat what we want,  we drink what we want, and we rarely make financial plans for the future, because hey, there’s always tomorrow.    Well tomorrow is not promised.  Today is the day to take better care of ourselves in every aspect of our lives.

Recently, I accidentally left my car lights on.  The next day I saw my neighbor, who told me he tried to reach me to tell me.  He then said “I hope you don’t mind my saying so, miss, but every time, I see you, you’re in a rush.” He then begged: “Please, slow down.” He’s right.  I’m practically always running from place to place to place and my mind is racing as fast as I am.

So, on Monday, I was exhausted and feeling slightly under the weather.  I decided life is too short.  So, I took the day off and laid on the couch all day. Best day I had in a long time.  So, my advice today to all, heed my neighbor’s advice and “Slow Down.”

I often found that my son’s frequent illnesses had to compete with my work. I was embarrassed to request time off or to work from home. After further inspection, I noticed that the majority of my department was young, single and childless. While it was impossible for me to work 12 hours a day, it was normal course of business for the rest of my department.

Aside from Mr. Welch, Former General Electric CEO’s point of view, the article also noted a completely different perspective. Chantal Kouda, a partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, was able to take 5 months off after the birth of each of her three children. She made partner, but it took her longer. Kudos to Cleary! My guess is that Chantal is the exception to the rule, especially in larger law firms.

It’s no surprise to me that claims of Family Responsibility Discrimination are on the rise. An employee with familiar responses may be less appealing or desirable to certain employers. At the end of the day, one might be forced to sacrifice either their home life or their work life; therefore, sadly, I agree with Mr. Welch that real balance doesn’t seem to exist. My work makes me a better mother, just as motherhood makes me a more diligent business owner. I don’t believe one should have to choose. I certainly hope that workplaces across the country will alter their mindset and encourage flexibility in the near future.