A well-intentioned missionary asked during a recent goodwill visit: "So, Sister Jex, do you work?" "I'm not working right now," I replied coolly, mentally shifting him over to the Dark Side.
"Soooo...." he foolishly continued, "what do you do during the day, then?"
Choose the best response:
a) "Why, I'm a lady of leisure, don't you know? I follow every fancy."
b) "Oh I keep busy now that I've got the DVR up and running--and let me tell you, it is hard work plowing through 100 hours of TV. Want some bon-bons?"
c) "I will graciously disregard that last question, in view of your youth. But Sugar, I must forewarn you never to ask your future wife what she does all day when she's sitting in a pile of children as you see me this evening."
Mind you, my grandmother raised 2 kids...10 years apart in the 50's. I can guarantee you, she never got the "do you work/what do you do all day" treatment, even if she did have free time. She did what women did. Now, the balance is off--it's not enough to be a mother raising babies anymore. I love that we have more options than the 50's mom, but in some ways, I think motherhood might have been embraced and respected a bit more then.
Here's a favorite quote from the movie, Mona Lisa from a student who chose to get married and focus on family over her career to her teacher: "You stand in class and tell us to look beyond the image, but you don't. To you a housewife is someone who sold her soul for a center hall Colonial. She has no depth, no intellect, no interests. You're the one who said I could do anything I wanted. This is what I want."
Hopefully one of these days we'll get it right.
4 comments:
Love this! It reminds me of a story my grandma told me. Her husband came home early from work and walked in on a messy house with the kids running wild. He said, Wow you must of had a hard day. She replied, it's like this everyday I just hurry and clean it up before you come home.
Amen! A mother's job never ends!
One of the many things I appreciate about Mike, is that he has NEVER asked me what I did all day, especially when the house is a disaster. He doesn't seem to notice. Although, I sometimes wish he would ask how it all got done when he comes home and the house IS clean and none of the children are missing!
Ann, I love it - please, please write a few novels - I love your sense of humor and hope you gave him both guns :) though I know that a true lady, such as yourself, never would!
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