Editor’s Note- Tricia has been working with me on KNOWDifferent for the last year and I thought it would be a great addition to have her voice be heard as a mom who is raising 2 “typical” children and working in the community with so many of our incredible sponsors. I think it will be a great addition to our monthly pieces.
February 1st is my birthday. While most people make New Year’s resolutions in January, I give myself that first month to settle in: put away the holiday decorations, get my boys back into the groove of school and activities, and restart my normal routine. My goals for the new year always begin on my birthday. 2017 started out no differently. I always make the same goals: be more patient with my children, be a better mother and wife, take care of myself by exercising and eating well, read more! But, I felt a little “off” this year – I turned 49. So with 50 looming ahead, I was more feeling a bit more introspective. Something was missing!
My husband gave me the greatest birthday gift this year! It was a “reminder” in the form of DVD – a copy of a 20 year old VHS tape. It was of me, skydiving at the age of 30. It was the push I needed.
At 30, I was bold! I was fearless! Newly married, I had been on my own and independent for years. I was a social worker in a low income high school in Texas, working with at-risk youth. I loved and respected those kids that many would have feared or written off and that contributed to my success at my job. I knew what I was doing and was firm in my ideals. I was confident and strong! Come on, I went skydiving. That says something!
That’s when it hit me! Somewhere in the last 20 years, I’d lost that spark. It traces back to giving up my job to be a stay-at-home mom after my 2nd son was born, and it seemed to diminish little by little as I got older, moved to a new city, and began the journey that comes with raising teenage boys. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE being a mom. It’s my greatest purpose. My two boys are remarkable young men, and I am lucky to be married to an incredible man, but I realized that I needed to regain that feeling that I am amazing and competent too.
My goal this year is to be to be bold again: to be confident as a mother, and in who I have become as a person, to do things that may force me out of my comfort zone, and may even scare me a little.
It starts here.
When Carissa asked me a year ago to help her with this site and be her Community Outreach Coordinator, I saw this as an opportunity to help her grow the business, get back into the work world, meet people, and share her passion for Special Needs families – behind the scenes! When she asked me a month ago if I would start writing my own monthly column, I said yes, but then questioned (and yes, doubted) that I would have anything beneficial to add.
So here we go. I’m going to take this chance and share something from my life with you every month. I’m channeling that 30 year old, and taking this leap!
Tricia Greene relocated to RVA from Austin, Texas in 2012 and is married with two teenage boys and a sweet, yet quirky dog. In her free time, she enjoys photography, reading, travel, art, and attending her kids’ soccer games and band concerts. Tricia has degrees from Boston College and The University of Texas at Austin, and has a background in Social Work, with experience in the areas of community development, parenting education, and counseling at-risk youth.