Perspective

Perspective is so interesting, isn't it? Like the way the rain has been pouring down in Western New York for what seems like such a long time now...I feel so put upon until I remember what the people in Florida are dealing with. No power for weeks. UGH. At the very least. There's also the phenomenon of finally getting that job you wanted...the salary seemed so great...until your second paycheck, when it becomes the base you operate from. I've been in the fortunate position of not having to decide what I want to occupy my time with based upon wages, for well over decade now. It's a very rare position to be in. Our culture certainly doesn't support those kinds of choices. I know that I'm a nothing to many people. It's amazing to me how many people base their judgment of who you are and how they will "value" you upon your occupation, salary, type of house, standard of living. It is actually a lot of fun and highly amusing to "spring" my intelligence and educational background on the unsuspecting snob. "oh, now I'm more interesting, am I?" I will be meeting with some of the current members of Mothers and More (formerly known as FEMALE), the chapter of which I started here in Rochester ten years ago. They are having a special celebration. I am very interested in meeting with the new group, I wonder if it is such a deviation from the norm as it was for women of my generation? I know that we so adamantly felt "I'm not going to end up like my mom!" that we rejected the traditional roles of wife and mother outright. To take them back and even embrace them, I'm sure, seemed like blasphemy to many of my colleagues. I'm not sure that younger women have felt that kind of pressure. I'd like to believe that they are indeed more "free to be you and me". If you want real perspective, just hang around an eight year old. They'll cut right to the heart of the matter. If you listen, you could learn a lot from an eight year old about what's really important. Once you get past the discussion of the merits of Playstation 2 vs. X-box.