>Johannes, first of all, you are an eloquent writer, however I as a technical writer have difficulty discerning the most important points from your posts. Im used to brief soundbytes I suppose.<
Perhaps. I merely put it as it comes. I will try and edit better for you.
>In any case I would like to point out that for a long time I think the people here thought I was making these arguments in favor of working moms vs. stay at home moms for myself. In fact that is not true, I was coerced into a discussion about this once by that trickster Dwight. I personally doubt I will ever achieve anything in my life more important than having a child.<
The various points here are irrelevant.
>However some people that have been dear to me in the past have achieved things that I feel were more significant, and I am actually arguing for them. Thats why I feel so strongly on this issue, and it changes matters.<
Yes, and you are insulted by a statement to the effect that motherhood is the most important job in the world. The problem here is no doubt many people have mothers dear to them who, in the past, have achieved things as a result of their motherly roles, that they feel are more significant than being a scientist or an astronaut. Perhaps I am actually arguing for them.
As a young child I once participated in a piano competition for which I had worked nearly a year, practicing every day for hours. My instructor had thought it was a good idea (as I had never done such a thing) and so he gave me the requirements of the competition. I was terribly excited and deeply motivated to practice. On the day of the competition, my mother drove me to the competition site and then remained outside as I entered the concert hall. I eventually received the signal to begin, and I started to play. After a few seconds, I was stopped by one of the judges. I looked up to see all the judges frowning and looking at various pieces of music. The judge who stopped me stood, and told me I was playing the wrong music. After informing me what I should play, he then sat down. I was in shock, having never even heard of the piece until that moment. The judges waited, and all I can remember is my ambling nervously over the keys, doing the best I could to sight-read the work. I really hardly remember this. I washed out. It was a dismal performance.
I stumbled toward the door, and then entered the hallway where I saw my mother. She must have seen by the look on my face that something dreadful had happened because she hurried to me with a worried expression. While at first I was too shocked to cry, when she held me I felt her to be a total refuge. I just melted into her and let go. My mom and I went home and I cried pretty much the whole day. I had no desire to play or do anything.
I would have given up forever, but the following week my mom delivered to me the requirements for the following year's competition. After a time she convinced me to sit at the keyboard to try again. I started all over again, practicing every day for another whole year, my mom encouraging me every single step of the way. The competition date finally arrived, mom drove me to the site and I entered the concert hall. I began to play, and this time, no one stopped me. When I left the concert hall and my mom saw me, she was crying and said, "You did it, just as I said you would." And without having seen the final results, she was right. I won the thing hands down. In fact, from that time onward, I won every single time I entered, besting everyone in my state. I have now long since abandoned musical training. I play strictly for pleasure, occasionally playing with friends, etc. But the lessons and encouragement of my mom have infiltrated my whole life. I have won more things than I can remember, not merely in music, but in other areas as well. My mom taught me that I can do whatever I want, I merely need work hard at it. My mom taught me this.
A few years ago I grew weary of being a computer idiot, having people tell me about my systems, not having the foggiest idea what they were saying. So I decided to learn more about computer systems. I now know quite a bit about them, having even set up a heterogenous (Unix, Novell and NT) network in my home with my children. A few of my sons are programming wizards. I wanted to know more in this area. So I read several books, and eventually learned C++ and the Windows 95 API. I can now program a microcomputer in C++, and even as you read this am writing a WIN32 system for my own pleasure. I boast here in my mom. She taught me. It was no female scientist or astronaut (these females are really quite worthless in my estimation). It was good ol' mom. Mom, not Sally Ride, but mom told me that I could do whatever I want to do, and she backed up her words with sacrifices that I could see on a daily basis. So your dear ones may think they or someone else has contributed more than my mom because they flew on a rocket, but they are wrong because my mom through me has now created six additional children each of whom now believe they can accomplish anything in this blessed world they want to accomplish. And those six will no doubt pass this to their children, and so on and so on... So there are your female scientists and rocket riders. My mom will give them to you. |
