Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Confronting our culture of narcissism as only a Mom can

Last weekend, I saw this gut churning celebration of the superiority of womanhood at all costs.  It was an article just oozing with glee over a mother's decision to chuck her husband and ditch her kids in order to spend a life focused on the eternal divinity of the Me.  I took some issues with it, focusing on the laughable proposition put forth that this was just righting the hypocrisy of our age, where men can leave their families all over the place and be celebrated for the cause.  Somehow I missed that men who divorce wives and abandon children are considered anything other than scum in our society; an appraisal I'm more than happy to apply across gender lines.

Anyhoo, in the miracle that is the Internet, a real, honest to goodness Mom chimed in and gave me her perspectives.  Better yet, she linked to her own blog where she offers that kind of head-smacking logic that a Mother can demonstrate better than anyone.  Read it here.  Best quote of the post:

"Most kids don't grow up lamenting that they wish their parents had spent LESS time with them, and most parents don't look back wishing that they'd missed more of their kids' childhoods."
In another age I would have laughed at such an obvious statement.  Today, I almost weep that there are so many who call themselves enlightened, and yet have no grasp of the truth behind such a clear fact.

6 comments:

  1. The thought of being without my kids just cuts me deeply. I cannot imagine what would make women think it is ok to just up and leave. I mean what is more glorious to a stressful day then coming home and having one of your kids hug your booboos away.
    DS

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Dave! The first time I ever uttered that statement was actually to my husband, over the prospect of him taking a job that would keep him far from home for weeks at a time. He'd have made more money, and we struggle financially now, but our kids are still very little and they won't stay that way for but a few more years. In the end, if they are like I was, they won't remember most of the toys or clothes they had, they will however remember laughing and hanging out with mom & dad.
    I am fortunate that my husband saw it the same way. We're broke as hell, but the kids like peanut butter & jelly a lot right now anyway. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  3. I sympathize! I had to leave my job to become Catholic (Protestant minister and all). Even now, five years later, I've not found that niche. We get by month by month. There have been times when I've considered taking a job with hours from hell. But my wife, always more solid and wiser than I am, reminds me of that same thing - though not in those words. I'll keep that in mind!

    Oh, and we've perfected our own love of Mac and Cheese and PB&J. Though I must admit. For making a radical life change at almost forty years old on the eve of one of our country's greatest economic downturns, when the resume of a former Protestant minister is about as handy as an accordion is for deer hunting, we've survived. God, as it's been said before, is good.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Here here!
    I am quite glad that you did not take some of those jobs that could have meant you were away for far too long and all that good stuff.
    God is good and is providing.
    diffey (daffey's wife)

    ReplyDelete
  5. A great series and great catch. I would have missed this. The idea that we live in a society that somehow condones men abandoning their families is just bull. I'm tired of a media that doesn't care about truth or honesty.

    -BenHeard

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey daffey's wife! Good to see you stop by!

    ReplyDelete

Let me know your thoughts