I saw this excerpt from NBC Nightly News and felt compelled to answer it. I think women having the option to have successful careers, just like men, has been a positive impact on society. Before, the women had to carry the weight on everything having to deal with the family, while men just focused on being the breadwinner. Now, you see that the family structure has changed where the relationship between the man and woman is now more of an equal partnership than before. Yes, you still have those cases where the family dynamic hasn’t changed much, but overall, it is continuously changing where the men are more involved with raising their children.
Technology has also helped because more and more companies are offering employees the chance to telecommute. In this way, parents are able to have the best of both worlds: a successful career and raising their families, as if someone was staying at home with the children. I know for me, I have been able, since Cebastian was one, to work from home a few times a week, so the children have been able to have me there with them.
I remember growing up, my mother didn’t have those options, so she was not very active in my life during the week. I envied my friends whose mothers were able to volunteer at school and take them to after-school activities. My children don’t have that issue because they always have me there when they need me. It’s one of the reasons that I became a Writer. Before I found out I was pregnant, I was going to school for Computer Science, but I knew that I wouldn’t have the flexibility needed to have a good career while raising my children. I didn’t want them to miss having me there with them, and I didn’t want to be in a job where I had to stress if I had to take off for one reason or the other.
Last night at Cebastian’s Cub Scout Pack Meeting, when they recognized me for the monthly newsletter I designed for them, I saw his face. He was so proud of me, and couldn’t help smiling and saying to his fellow cub scouts, “That’s my mom!” It was a wonderful feeling, and I know that society has changed for the better allowing women to have a career while also being able to raise their children.
I was driving home at 4:30 a.m. today when I got to the entrance of my neighborhood. It was pitch dark, but I noticed some movement. When I looked closer, I noticed three girls who looked no older than 14 walking alone. It baffled me to see this because they were heading out of the neighborhood into the rest of the city. On my way to Bikram Yoga, which was around 5:15 a.m. and still dark, I noticed a woman running alone.
We’ve all seen it on the news. The woman who went running alone in the dark who gets mugged and/or raped. Or the girls who didn’t tell anyone where they were heading and were never seen again. I have seen these stories repeat since I was a little girl. They say you should know your history so you don’t keep repeating the same mistakes, but it seems some women just don’t learn. Why are you running alone in the dark? Why are you walking in the dark at such a crazy hour? I can’t even see, other than my car light, but you insist on being out there. On top of that, woman who is running, you have an iPod on, so you are not even super aware of your surroundings. Come on woman, get it together. I don’t want to turn the news on, and see something bad happened to you for committing such an irresponsible act. Little girls, you are wearing sandals, tank tops, and shorts. You wouldn’t even be able to run if some crazy person were to go after you.
I am not saying that we should live in a state of fear. However, we should also not make it easy for something awful to happen to us. If you are going to be out by yourself, then make sure it’s still at least semi-light outside and that you are not walking where no one can see you. I don’t even know what to say about those girls because I am not sure why they would be out there at that time. I was going to stop the car and ask, but then I would have probably scared them to death, and I didn’t want to do that. At that age, you think nothing can happen to you. I have something to say to you. Something bad CAN happen to you. You are not invincible.
Women, just be careful and don’t put yourself in dangerous situations.
I remember a very wise guy friend once told me that women attempt to be friends with their exes right away when they were the ones to do the breaking because they feel a type of guilt.On the other hand, men try to stay as far away as possible when they were the initiators.From this past experience, I am done trying to befriend my exes way too early.There is still tons of resentment, hurt, and pain.How can you let go of these feelings if you are still talking every day?
After L.’s constant insults, guilt trips, and attempts to make my life look pale in comparison, I can’t do it anymore.Now I get a text from L saying that someone has been calling with death threats.Guess who was the first person to be accused?Me? L. was super psychotic throughout our entire relationship, but I am the one that would do something like that?It isn’t her crazy, lunatic ex who kept calling her last week.No, it’s me has to be forced to speak.
I texted back, “F* you for thinking I would do something like that,” and have ignored the rest of the texts.
Drama that ensues when L. is in my life is gone, and I don’t intend to bring it back.
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