I have been looked at rather strangely, especially lately, I have 5 adorable children, and one on the way.
I Love being a parent, I would say it is my chosen career path, just as some of you have chosen to become, Doctors, Lawyers, or even Coroners. These jobs are demanding, and time consuming, the training alone has taken years of dedication and you (as the professional) have become very good at what you do. You are accomplished, and you enjoy the hard work and challenge of the day.
Every one enjoys time off, but when we are idle for too long, we crave for the busyness of our career.
This too is how I feel, I enjoy being busy, I love to see my kids create and invent new things, it may be their own fort or hide-away, or maybe it is a nook in their bedroom with books piled high next to their pillows & blankets. It makes me smile to know that they have brains, and they are using them to occupy themselves.
I HATE TV. I enjoy an OCCASIONAL movie, but the idleness and atrophy of my brain and body from watching too much TV (more than 1.5 hrs a day is too much IMO)
Why do I cook the way I do?
In my pantry, I have Whole Wheat, Honey, Grains, nuts and Brown rice. (amongst other items, canned veggies, canned fruit etc...)
I LOVE FOOD. I love to cook and prepare a delicious and occasionally beautiful meal, I enjoy sitting down with my family adding some hot peppers to the dish and eating a meal. Loud and Proud at the dinner table. Sometimes I prepare a meal and eat quietly before I invite others to join me at the table.
Cooking with foods that GOD created are a number one priority for me, I want to offer my body and my family the chance at having a perfectly healthy meal that not only serves our body but tastes delicious as well.
I love to have a clean house, but I prefer to have a learning house, a place where the kids can have their microscope, and books spread out, lying on their tummy's enjoying the day through discovery and intrigue.
Along with this thought, WHY do I have the desire to milk cows, churn butter, card wool and make everything from my own 2 hands.
I did not always desire these skills, as a matter of fact I remember vividly sitting in the "Tiffin Room" in 1999 mocking and laughing at the comment my husband made about the desire HE had to grow and create his own fabric. (grow cotton and raise wool). How CRAZY! Not a chance I laughed.
Yet here I am a decade later, with this same intent, Why would I want this now?
As much as I enjoy cooking a fine meal, and knowing the foods I prepare and consume are entirely my undertaking, I also have the desire for the SKILLS to prepare my own wool,lovingly raising the sheep, shearing the wool,carding, spinning and finally knitting the wool. It is a SKILL I look forward to learning, then if the occasion arrived, I would have the capacity to knit a newborns gown to keep them warm during the Second Great Depression. (if such an event does occur)
I love my family, I had hopes that we would all get together 5 times a year and laugh and talk and bond over good meals. This is not an option, too many issues arise when we meet together and we strain each other through our diversity. I wish we could embrace the differences we have, and enjoy one another uninhibited. but for whatever reason, we are all too stubborn so we get together once a year.
I love my God. he is the master creator, and he is the reason we are all on this Beautiful earth, tested, tried and challenged, to become stronger and endure to the END. I hope to become as loving and forgiving as my Saviour.
I hope that you as my friends that are reading this understand my weirdness, the reasons I do the things I do. I hope you even if you can not embrace my differentness you can at least nod your head in understanding and give me the space I need to grow and develop into the being I desire to become.
9 comments:
Dee, I've never once questioned why you do things the way you do. It's beautiful the way you explained things, though. There is no reason whatsoever to feel defensive about your lifestyle choice, especially in America Land Of The Free. Experiencing the wholesome, pure things that this one life on earth has to offer sounds fulfilling, exciting and joyful. The only reason I could never join you is because I have trouble working; I love the ideals but abhor work/effort. That is my own bag of issues to overcome, though. Sending much love your way! -Michelle
Dee,
I enjoyed your post immensely. I understand the point of view that your ideas come from and share so many of those ideals.
Oddly enough I am reading your post as I am sitting in the lobby of the UTHSC San Antonio Medical School, spending an hour online to keep from driving myself crazy before going into this interview.
I want to be a doctor, but I thank God that my mother taught us all to cook and sew and clean. I have always had such an advantage over others who never even had chores to do growing up.
While serving in Iraq it was a surprise at how many people cannot reattach a button, don't know how to properly put up a tent and have never been taught how to handle a knife correctly. This knowledge has served me well already and there is so much more I wish that I could do. So, I know where you are coming from when you want to gain more skills.
By the way, you write beautifully. I should have sent my personal essay for my medical school application to you before I sent it in!! Your words flow so well together that I can visualize what you are discussing as I am reading the words.
Anyway, I guess I better go to my interview.
I totally get you baby! Smooch
I used to experience a lot of those same desires. Living in the city has left me apathetic and made that ideal distant. I don't like the idea, though of being totally self-reliant as much as having an interdependent, close-knit community. You do the cloth, and maybe in 11 years or so, I will come do the furniture and wood-working. ;)
well, dont give up hope on getting together 5 times a year, i think as we all get a little wiser and older, we realize that family is most important, that will be more of a reality and less of a chore! I for one really enjoyed getting together a few weeks ago, i wish the spouses had been there and we went down under better circumstances, but, it was so enjoyable being with you and getting caught up face to face again. I love you so much sis, happy birthday again!
It is so fun to see the way you are rasing your family. Hats off to you. It is not easy to do everthing from scratch. It is a lot of extra work. I think it is wonderful. We as a nation want everthing done for us. I walk through the store and see all the things that are prepared for us. What happens when we need to do it for ourselfs. Will we know how. Love ya
Mom
I could not have known the desires you just mentioned if I hadn't just visited your great part of the country. I came back realizing that we might be crippling our children by not teaching/forcing them to work, and do more. I too came home with the desire to do better and more. Ok, I still eat alot of sugar, but I would love to card wool and knit baby outfits :)
I too love the aquistion of knowledge. Even if you might never "need" the skill, you have still mastered it.
It is nice to know how most every one feels about this comment.
I wrote it from the hip, didn't even go back to clarify anything, so I am glad I didn't offend or sound like an illiterate!
Thanks for the comments.
Dee...Loved reading this. I have wondered why you chose to do some of the thing you do...but not from a judgemental way, more just out of curiousity and respect! Good for you! I have some of these desires, but they are on a much smaller scale--one day! I am calling you first when I need help in these skills!
Love ya,
Kim
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