Tuesday, Apr. 01, 2003 - 12:00 p.m.

All's well with the world

All my chicks are in their respective nests and I am content. I don't insist they be in my nest for my contentedness. In fact when they are in the worlds they have carved out for themselves, then I am most content. Each has a slightly different lifestyle, a slightly different list of satisfactories. Yet they all have a richness to their lives that goes beyond money or position. Sometimes I look at one or the other and feel sad because of emptinesses I think they must notice. But each surprises me with their acceptance of their lot and their peace in their circumstance.

2d came home from her guilt trip very happy and contented. The teaching weekend at B left her feeling very well equipped for the next advancement. Before the trip, she was stinging a little at some views of her as being 'cloistered, innocent and naive' expressed to her face. I don't blame her a bit for feeling a bit insulted, but she reacted very well. When asked for just a little bit of input, all I could tell her was to be true to herself. I was quite safe in telling her this as this is the only way she has ever been.

It is quite interesting to notice that if a young woman chooses not to drink, or engage in salacious talk, she is marked as cloistered. Some men, not realizing she would not even go out with them on a bet, comment on her living with her parents. We wondered together what made them feel inhibited about that.

None of my children has dabbled in the sexual revolution. Even the one who has made the most unwise choices did so with high hopes. They may have an innocence about actual self-experiences but have always been part of open conversations about sexual and social morals of the current time. They may not have jumped in the pool, but they definitely know what the water looks like. Sometiimes I wonder if folks throw around terms like 'sheltered' and others because of the old 'misery loves company' syndrome.

I often get a similar label at work. Because I choose not to do certain things or engage in certain conversations, 'sweet' often becomes my description. I don't mind the label, but I am always only one action away from being very 'unsweet'. We all sink or swim by our next action. I have taken enough sinking actions to last a long lifetime. It would be very sad to reach 61 without learning at least a few lessons.

When I think of some of my choices and decisions of long ago, I am so thankful that what goes around does not always come around.

EE's devotional

newAutumn Leaves

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