I Became Selfish — and Felt Happy for the First Time in My Life!
A Life for the Family
My name is Emily, I’m 42 years old, married, with two grown-up sons.
My story is about a woman who spent her life living for others but reached a point where she finally said, “Enough!”
I got married at 19, and from that moment, my life was devoted to my family.
While my friends were out and about, attending parties, and enjoying their college days, I was rocking prams, doing laundry, cleaning, and studying at night because I was a distance learner.
My grandmother used to warn me:
— You won’t handle it all; you’ll break down.
But I was stubborn and wanted to prove her wrong.
And I managed.
I gave birth to my second son, earned my degree, found a job, took care of my husband and children, and forgot about myself.
Yet, I never complained.
Three Men at Home — All on My Shoulders
I loved my men and endured everything.
They’d scatter things around the house, leave dirty dishes on the table, forget to turn off the stove, and never considered who was cleaning, washing, or caring for them.
It was as if making their life comfortable was my duty.
But I loved them.
So I stayed silent and continued to look after them.
Until one day, I realized they just took my efforts for granted.
They didn’t care if I was tired or not, as long as dinner was on the table and a clean shirt was in the wardrobe.
They never thought of me as anything but a maid.
And one day, I’d had enough.
I Escaped to the Theatre
It was just another winter day.
I returned home from work and, as usual, the house was turned upside down.
— That’s it! – I told myself. – Enough!
I turned and left the house.
I caught a bus to the city centre and bought a ticket to the theatre.
For the first time in years, I did something just for me.
On my way home, I saw dozens of missed calls from my husband and sons.
I turned off my phone and headed home with a smile.
When I got back, they overwhelmed me with questions:
— Where were you? Why didn’t you tell us? Why wasn’t dinner ready?
I calmly replied:
— You’re grown-ups. You’ll figure it out. From now on, I’m living for myself too.
I Changed — and I Liked It
And I kept my word.
From that day, I stopped washing their clothes, cooking, cleaning up after them, or ironing shirts.
They could learn to do it themselves.
I remembered what it was like to live for myself.
I bought myself some lovely clothes instead of another pot or kitchen towel.
I booked appointments for manicures, haircuts, and joined a gym.
I started meeting friends, strolling around town, and taking trips out of town.
And you know what?
I loved it!
At first, my husband and sons couldn’t believe I’d changed.
They thought I was just being temperamental and would soon return to the usual routine.
But when the clean clothes ran out and there was no food left in the fridge, they quickly learned to use the washing machine, stove, and iron.
And suddenly, I realized:
How wonderful it is to be selfish!
How sad it is that I understood this so late.
