My need

One thing I realized now as my family is away is how much I depend on them for their emotional input. In the past, as I was always struggling to find time for work and family, I used to think what a relief it could be to do just work. The reasoning behind it was that concentrating on one is more effective and productive. In my fantasy I would become a perpetual production line: so much planned, so much done, so much... As it turned out it doesn't work that way. I did get a ton of work, and I got myself into a ton of trouble emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It is a bit of an eye opener that I need my family for me, not I need me for them. Needing me for them means I need to work to provide, I need to find time to be with them, so they are happy and know I am there, I need to extend work and take on new challenges so we get out of the rut. But I actually need them, just need to see them, talk to them, and do stuff with them. Life is more simple than I thought.