Baby Boomer Connections: 03/13/10

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Our daughters don't even know they have been liberated.

Dear Babyboomers
R wrote,"I tested the waters today by trying to enlist my 30 something employees in a discussion of the the women's movement. Nothing, nada, zip. I fear we have done such a great job of liberating our daughters that they don't even know they have been liberated. In fact, it seems the most important items on their agenda are Facebook (their faces), the latest episode of Housewives of Orange County and how they look in a pair of jeans. I long for a meaningful discussion of a great book or a critique of a movie rather than a reality show. It seems that I have become an old model rather than a role model. Invisible to most everyone. And yet it is this invisible cloak that has liberated me. I can spend an entire day absorbed in my work without even a glance in the mirror. For me the blueprint to retirement is not to retire. I plan to spend every precious moment creating, designing, reading, recording, expanding. I hope we will be cogging for a long time to come."

Clara - I doubt if you will ever be invisible - your creativity and energy will rule that one out. However, "and yet it is this invisible cloak that has liberated me", is a very liberating concept to me. It takes me beyond my ego, my self as I present to the world, to a deeper level, where I can just be 'me'.

Our daughters are not really as different as the 70's feminists expected they would be - 'You've come a long way, Baby', appears from my observation of successful women, to put a lot of pressure on them to juggle work with family life. No doubt, however, if they choose this path, the climate is more supportive and their partners more aware of sharing the load. We should make sure that our daughters are taught this aspect of history in order to help them develop a perspective and if they choose to, take important aspects from the lesson and apply it to their lives

'Life is not a series of isolated ponds and puddles;
It is a river which flows from the past to the future
Only in the most literal sense are we born on the day we leave our mother's womb
In the larger, truer sense, we are born of the past - connected to it's fluidity,
Both genetically and experientially"......

Our children have grown up in a different pond, but it is all connected. They inherit what has evolved before their time, then like us, have their opportunity to make the most of it in order to survive and grow.

The process of writing has given me a new perspective (not always comfortable) where in looking to the past, patterns do emerge:- Creativity - always a different way of looking/thinking ; Enhancement of self and environment - (I love to decorate) ; Love of great food ; a passion for preparing food - creatively yet with health ; and wine (not always great but quaffable) ; Joyful appreciation and love of children, in particular facilitating their creative development ; and in latter years a love of writing, having fun with web pages which allows me to express the many ideas I/others have to share (children's books are on the agenda.)
Above all, the need / appreciation of loving stable family / friendship relationships emerges with prime importance. I have a need to be authentic and hope that my voice is true.

ps - the word 'successful' is one which today seems to refer to women who are out there in the work force. Society needs also to value highly the success of stay at home mothers for their stable contributions to the well being of the next generations.
Cheers Clara