One doesn't chose ones family is a saying I try to remember the times I get rude, stupid or ridiculous remarks from my extended family. For almost 20 years now we've been a family who probably wouldn't have chosen to be together if our parents hadn't met. Most of the time I just let things pass, since it's not worth it. One mellows with age so to speak...
On Midsummer we all met at mum's for pickled herring, fresh potatoes, schnapps and strawberries, just as the tradition says. Outside it was pouring, that too very much like the tradition.
Someone asked me when my summer holiday would start (in three weeks) and then if I still travelled as much as I used to. Yes, more less. Sometimes I don't go anywhere in two or three months and then bang I'm travelling every week for a month or even more. The comment I got back was really astonishing: "If you ever get married you have to give that sort of life. No woman can travel and take care of her family and house at the same time." One could believe this would come from an older man, but this came from a man in his mid 40's. Amazing!
For once I actually had a good reply: "But it's works for all the men who travel a lot. Why shouldn't it work for a woman?" He actually went quiet and left to get some more food. One of the other women just smiled at me and said that he had that coming...
It's not the first time I've heard comments like that, but still every time I wonder why. Are they afraid of me? Am I too successful? (I don't think so) Is it pure jealousy? Why is it that a woman can't do what men have been doing for ages? Are we crossing a (male) boundary that maybe shouldn't be crossed?
No comments:
Post a Comment