When I grow up ...
I apologize for the delays but I have a 6-week-old. ;)
It seems that I have now definitely entered the "mom"-chapter of my life, not only by having eliminated useless things as "time for myself" from my existence but by having attended a "MOMS" group. This particular one actually does stand for "M oms O ffering M oms S upport" but I believe there are a gazillion moms-groups out there that are not an acronym and work the same way.
It was a fun and strange experience I must say. I guess the fact that the group is organized by the First Methodist Church added some of the strangeness. Not that Methodists are strange, but I'm not really familiar with many other Christian denominations. I will confess I did feel a small pang of guilt spending two hours listening to a non-Catholic lady tell me about marriage in the Christian sense, but I quickly eliminated that by being my also very open-minded self. That and my parish does not have a moms-group.
Apart from the denominational strangeness I found myself immediately in my alien-role. It's a little like "Third Rock from the Sun" - I SEEM to look normal but actually deep down I'm an extraterrestrial. ;) Anyway, I sit there and see about 20 ladies, a little WASP-y-looking to me. You know... a little like that soccer mom... very put together (well, not too much, it's the midwest of course), very kind and friendly, a little high-strung, very christian (with little cross earrings), talkative and smiling - always a teeny bit too much. I know this is terrible stereotyping and I feel bad for that, I really do. These ladies were really very nice, but I can't help getting a little panicky. As much as I'm sure of my identity... there's no way to escape that little voice that is suggesting that one day I will be sitting there among them saying: "I'm Dinka, married to Lincoln, I've been living in Valpo for 15 years and I LOOOVE it, absolutely LOOOOVE it." I will be wearing hideous shorts I don't have the butt nor legs for anymore. I will have cut my hair real short, not because I think it's cute but "it's sooo much more practical". I will spend my free nights distributing potpourri in my carpeted living room or attending Tuppware-style parties and gush with my friends over the incredible prices at Sam's.
Oh I feel so bad now. I apologize. This is not the real me. I can be a nice person. But I will NOT spend my life in Valparaiso, Indiana, no offense.
Posted at 01:52 PM on September 18, 2003
ok :-), ok:-), ok:-) YOU WON'T
Dinka, you crack me up. Having spent waaay too much time lately at Mums groups myself, I know exactly where you are coming from. Heres hoping that we can be strong and never settle! (but I will say I LOVE Looove living where I do!)
Dear Dinka, it is amazing how you register your awareness of "mom-chapter" of your life. Excellent! Even for a large public exceeding the relationship- and frienship- circles. I guess there is not possible to tell us all aspects of your experiences. Why? You are a daughter of your mom Marieta (Knafeljc) Keglevich, my sister. During my last summer holidays I had occasion for conversations with her.
As a member of the headquarters of the Society of Jesus in Rome I know many excellent people. Listening Marieta, I admired how wisely she speaks about a lot of problems concerning individual, family, society, political and christian life. My expression is not a "Cicero pro domo sua", because she is appreciated by some excellent fellow Jesuits, knowing her. She is really an intellectual. I tell this to express my compliments for her daughter, best educated Dinka, merried with equally excellent husband Lincoln. God bless you!