Wednesday, August 27, 2008
This past week end, I went to a beautiful wedding with my family. In attendance were relatives I hadn’t seen in many years, lots of people I had never met and one of my favourite teachers from grade school.
I always feel a bit of awkwardness at these kinds of events, as I brace myself ...
I nodded in recognition to much of what you described, although I come froma background of disability due to rheumatoid arthritis, not cancer. I wonder if it's the c-word or the lack of work that's "embarassing"? After I got laid off in the mid-90's, I was out of work for about a decade and had to really battle feeling like a leech on society. Our identity is so tied up in work, it's like self-worth = job and "merely" spending your time doing the work of getting thorugh life with a disease - full-time work in and of itself - leaves no energy/time for a "real" job. And still we feel ashamed at not working. it's messed up, but there it is.
Hi Lene!
I think you are exactly right! I am sure that, as women who take pride in our hard work and intelligence we face very similar challenges even if the details of our stories are different. Thanks so much for this comment.
Laurie