My Million-Dollar Donkey Read Free

get over it,” Mark said. “Um... You might try to be happy for us. This is a dream come true for your mother and me.”
    “Since when? Mom, do you really want to do this?”
    “It was her idea,” Mark said, rolling his eyes as if Denver’s question was silly.
    My gaze shifted to the floor. True, I was ready for change, but perhaps we should consider taking occasional vacations rather than undertake a huge life overhaul. The idea of setting off on an adventure with the family was beyond exciting in theory, but actually walking away from our livelihood while we still had kids to raise and educate was scary as hell.
    “I love the studio, as you know, but I’ve always wanted to be a mom more than a dancer or a business owner. Working as much as I do has been an unfortunate necessity, something I did because I had to make money to help care for the family. The idea that I can lay down the burden is pretty amazing. And I have to admit, I’d appreciate more time for writing. Yesterday I was accepted to one of the low residency MFA programs I applied to, as if everything happening is meant to be. So yes, honey, I really want to do this.”
    She hung up, but not before making a few tongue-in-cheek comments that left me feeling judged and somewhat guilty for daring to follow my own aspirations rather than to continue a life of servitude and sacrifice for my children. Am I making this choice for me, or for them? I started to wonder. Just what are we running to, or away from, really?
    As respected business owners, we were icons in the community and treated as local heroes. My children enjoyed a small level of notoriety themselves as members of the renowned dance family. Mark and I had worked with over six thousand families over the years. True, we were busy parents due to the demands of running a business, but my kids weren’t latchkey kids nor did they spend after school hours in childcare with strangers. I took them to school each day, picked them up, and stopped for a snack as we headed back to the studio.
    Each season I planned my teaching schedule around my children’s interests. No matter how busy I was, I carved out the time to be a Girl Scout leader or classroom helper. I did everyone’s laundry and the dishes so no one other than me would feel burdened with mundane chores. I cleaned their rooms and left little gifts of a favored magazine or treat on their pillows. I took the kids to music lessons, camps, and parties, and liberally hired substitute teachers anytime my children had an open house or school event. And when I couldn’t be there, parents of students would take my kids under their wing, offering rides, snacks, gifts, and praise. If it takes a village to raise a child, I certainly had a dance village to help me do the job. My children had it pretty good.
    In fact, the more I thought about our life, I could see our kids probably spent more quality time with their parents than most every other kid we knew, the ones who had full time mothers at home and a father who went to work in an office each day. My kids didn’t have a dad who spent Sundays golfing, or a Mom who spent each evening grading papers or working long shifts as a nurse or real estate agent. Instead they had parents who were always nearby and accessible; parents who were deeply involved in their lives. We even had great relationships with their friends since we taught them all dance too.
    Mark and I took our children to Disney, bought tickets to concerts or shows, organized family art projects for fun, and spent numerous days at the mall buying clothes or school supplies. We made a huge deal out of holidays with the planning, cooking, decorating, and entertaining a significant family affair garnished with laughter and poignant family traditions. We were connected to extended family too, spending time with both sets of grandparents. Mark’s sister was a significant presence in daily activities. She worked for us by day, and spent weekends