I’ve been on jury duty this week. In this county that means I need to be on call, like a fire fighter for the entire week, ready to pounce head in to court within a 90-minute time frame.
Confessions
This was not the first time I was summoned to serve.
Nor was it the second.
Yes, folks, I was granted not one but two extensions.
I was filled with excuses:
I’m a stay at home mom with no other childcare.
All other family members are more than an hour away.
The Caveman hunts and gathers travels. A lot.
Thing 2 was sick.
The mom taxi takes no holidays.
Who would let the dogs out?
Surely there were people far better suited than I to serve. Unemployment rolls anyone?
The jury commission wasn’t buying any of my excuses. Although, bless their hearts, they gave me a shorter week. 4-day week=fewer trials=less need for a jury.
Finally I bit the bullet:
I found childcare. ($$$ but childcare all the same)
I hired a dog walker (more $$$ but what can I do?)
I gave Thing 1 a key so she could let herself in after school for the first time. Ever.
I got myself the biggest, fattest book of fiction, expecting to plunk down at the courthouse and read myself silly until they told me I could go home.
The thought of getting on an actual jury never crossed my mind.
I reported bright and early Tuesday, cracked open my book, and was almost immediately called into a courtroom for jury selection. Wha?
There I sat. All freaking day. In meat locker-like temps (if only my marathons could be that cool). Cell phone off so no texting to make sure Thing 2 got to where she needed to be. No calling home to make sure Thing 1 didn’t lock herself out. No calling the Caveman to give him a heads up. No telling how long I’d be there. Should I have packed a bag? Left a breadcrumb trail? Sent up smoke signals?
Life for us as we knew it ground to a halt. Mom was completely out of commission.
My point in all this is not to spew on about how dare they pick me for jury duty. I know everyone’s busy and everyone has their own set of circumstances. Jury duty is a sacrifice for everyone. It’s also a privilege.
My point is this:
As much as I felt I could not be a juror, only when I realized I had no choice, I rearranged my life and MADE IT HAPPEN. Yes it was a PIA, cost $$$ that I didn’t have earmarked for such an occasion, and turned the entire family’s status quo upside down. But we did it.
It made us, especially ME, more efficient.
I planned and made meals for the week.
Had grocery shopping done instead of hitting the store 2 or 3 times.
Did housework that normally I’d have procrastinated or never gotten to.
Took care of kids’ stuff, RSVP’s appointments, etc. that surely I’d have waited until the deadline threatened before acting on.
Built a support network.
Got things done at my earliest opportunity, because I knew I had to.
The million dollar question:
How would my life be different if I normally operated this way?
Yesterday I was officially released from jury duty. But I’m not sure I want to slip back to my sluggish, often seat-of-the-pants way of doing things. The experience gave me a glimpse of my shortcomings but also of what is possible. Maybe I don’t always need to run as tight a ship as I did this week.
