Darn that mood list. It doesn't include curious and it won't let you do your own. Ok, so I'm listening to "curious" music. LOL
This is from Malcolm Boyd's Book of Days. Published in the late 60's but more relevant than ever. I think I'd substitute parent for housewife for most of this since parents share more these days, but then there are so many more single parents these days and sadly the majority are women. Not that I'd wish trying to keep up with a schedule like this alone on anyone-female or male.
"How Does the Frantically Busy Housewife (Girl Scout leader, church worker, part-time office worker, tired-out wife and mother, chauffer, cook, dressmaker, hostess ect., etc.) actually know what God's will is for her? And how does she combine all the demands on her time and energy from God and Christ and from her family and community and not LOSE HER MIND? Letter from a housewife.
One might add that the only part of this frantic list that counts in the Gross Naitonal Product is the part-time office work. In our society, if you don't receive a paycheck and pay taxes on it, it doesn't count. The rest of the list, the glue that holds us all to together is officially "invisible" to the economy. My mom's work with United Methodist Women, Hestia's homeschooling and critter rehabbing, Hope5555 over at Am I There Yet's work to help create a reconciling congregation at her church-not on a ledger anywhere-is not counted in the GNP. That makes me incredibly sad. Because the work that isn't represented by numbers on a ledger is what helps to hold this country, and this world together.
1 week ago
4 comments:
I think one reason there is so much emphasis on what we do to earn money these days is, after decades of "no inflation" we are all having to work our asses off to keep our heads above water. We spend a lot of our lives working to live. So it just kind of takes over our priorities. Sad. Lisa :-]
I liked this entry....the question posed is one that I ask myself often......
Amy
I know that I am guilty of this preconception --= a holdover from the otherwise critically valuable women's movement of the 60s-70s. There was so much emphasis then on the value of "a paycheck" -- like a man's -- and so little recognition of the value of all the unapid work so many women -- and men -- do.
I am honored that you included me. :-)
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