Coming to grips with your own inherent denial of injustice is hard, but it can happen.
Let’s get something established right away:
All human life has value, and no innocent person deserves to die.
But though this statement is absolutely truthful, there are times when it is used as a distraction, a deflection, and a detraction from a larger issue.
I used to be the type of person who said, “ALL lives matter!” in response to those who were telling the world, “Black lives matter.”
I thought I was being just. I thought I was stating the obvious. I thought I was being more inclusive, more compassionate, and more tolerant.
All lives matter. Of course. …
The tantrums? Nope. The snuggles? Sure. But you’ll know that when you see it.
Imagine this: a toddler melts down in the middle of a grocery aisle. The toddler’s mother is taking deep breaths, staying as calm as she can, wrestling her screaming child back into the cart while silently praying that no one will notice.
But of course someone does notice, and it’s a middle-aged woman with grown children of her own, and she chooses that exact moment to offer relevant, timely and helpful words of advice to the struggling mom before proceeding on her merry way.
“You’re going to miss all this someday, you know.”
The young mother isn’t me. I had…
“When I say this game slaps, I really mean that literally”
Parents! PARENTS? PAAAAAAARENTS. HI. Forget that market research you’ve read about how to appeal to my demographic. I’m IN that demographic, and I’m telling you this is how it should be done. Hey! Pay attention to me. Eye contact at all times! Do you need me to pull out the slime-covered fist? Because I will, just as soon as I finish chewing and drooling on it.
Howl unintelligible affirmations at every dog that passes by
This can be done from a street-facing window, but is best performed on the porch or in the stroller. Those doggies need to know that we love them and support them, and what better…
“People don’t care about the person — or the reason — behind the soundbite.”
My husband supports everything I do. He’s annoying like that.
It might seem like an ideal setup for a happy relationship. I say something, he concurs. I do something, he affirms. But there’s not a lot of room for growth, self-reflection, and maturity in a relationship where you are constantly being applauded.
I’m speaking just a little hyperbolically, of course. We argue, as all couples do, from time to time. It’s a bit of an exaggeration to say he supports absolutely everything. (And it certainly wouldn’t be true to say I agree with everything he says. I consider it my…
Exploring three potential ways to credit outside information, and the pros and cons of each.
I did not research the number of people who follow the “history” topic tag on Medium. Perhaps I should have. Presenting personal research at the beginning of a piece about research and citations would probably have boosted my credibility. But I’m not here to talk about me today; I want to hear about you.
Regardless of actual statistics, whatever they may be, there is no denying that there are a lot of people writing about history and a lot of people reading about history on Medium. A quick glance through the “history” tag shows a wide variety, ranging from clickbait…
We’ll start saying these things when Peppa Pig flies
“I am so thankful for all those people who told me ‘just wait until you have two, and the REAL struggle begins!’ back when I only had one child. I don’t know how I would have survived without that dread!”
“Don’t be silly, Great-Aunt Eleanor — of course, I want your opinion of my child’s educational prowess!”
“I just wish we were able to use more of our dishes on a regular basis. I worry that they don’t feel sufficiently loved and needed while they sit, clean, in a cabinet.”
“Since diapers are so inexpensive right now, let’s buy some…
You can love your country and want to improve it.
Photo by JillWellington via Pixabay
Both. And. Also.
Those words have been rattling around in my brain quite a bit lately, and especially on this summer holiday we call Independence Day here in the US. Grappling with the implications of this day, what it ought to represent and what it actually means to different people, is a complex task.
I’ve found myself swaying in the balance between this and that, here and there. And it’s helped me to acknowledge that I — and you — can feel both happy and sad, good and bad. You can use "and" or "also"…
Building a foundation of trust with my son doesn’t make much of a splash in my day, but the benefits will last us both a lifetime.
Every evening after feeding my baby his dinner, I take him upstairs and corral him somehow while I get things ready for his bath. If he’s feeling content, I put him in his crib with a couple of toys while I run around gathering towel, washcloth, and bath mat. If he’s feeling clingy, and wailing in distress at the very idea of being left for 30 seconds in a comfortable crib surrounded by fun activities (oh! the horror!) …
“You want nothing but patience; or give it a more fascinating name: call it hope.” — Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
A couple of weeks ago, I sprained my neck while washing my hair.
Of all the injuries I could think of that would prevent me from completing my lengthy, daily to-do list, “accidentally wrenching my neck out of whack while completing an extremely mundane task” was not really on my radar. If I had to be laid up, I think I would have preferred to be stricken by a more romantic or heroic malady. …
Breathe deeply, draw even more deeply from that reserve of Funny Stuff… oops, there goes your coffee
- Name, claim, and pre-game this time when your baby is supposed to be napping, but isn’t. Never fear. You are a 2021 Parent and you have got to Get It Done, nap or no nap.
- Open your laptop, which is inexplicably covered in cat hair. Frantically dust off the cat hair so the baby won’t inhale it, despite the fact that the baby’s preferred wellness routine involves fervently embracing your unwilling pet at inopportune times, burying a snotty nose in its fur, and sucking in a good healthy lung full of fuzzy dandruff.
- Scoop up baby and cuddle him gently…
Amy Colleen
Historical costumer, fifty-cent-word purveyor, aspiring humorist, and Oxford comma fan. Books, women's history, & musings of a new mom. Twitter: @sewistwrites
