Something Else My Mother Told Me and More

Something else my Mother told me was that I could do whatever I put my mind to.  When I was younger, I think I only sort of understood that.

There was a time when women weren’t allowed to do much but take care of others: keep a house, shop for or help harvest food, make meals, clean the children, clean the clothes…clean, clean, clean.  It seems that cleaning part hasn’t changed much but other things have:  we are allowed to vote, go into bars, be bankers, executives, Doctors, cops and stockbrokers, climb mountains, compete in all sorts of sports and even serve in the military.  While those younger then I may think of these things as a given in their world, I do remember differently.

I remember that when my Mother told me I could do or be whatever I wanted that I didn’t really think a lot about it.  Now I wonder how hard that must have been for her to tell me something that wasn’t as true for her.  It’s sort of like wondering if the Captain of the Titanic cried, (to quote a good song).

On another note, I’ve been listening to a great audio book:  ’A Girl Named Zippy’ by Haven Kimmel and it’s incredibly funny.  The author is actually reading the story and it’s cute as heck.  Her Mother told her that they bought her from the gypsies at one point and she believes it.  I know the feeling.