tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4881993293647462179.post2130559763229845680..comments2024-01-06T16:35:56.730-05:00Comments on EMILIE JOHNSON: Lung capacity.Emiliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298487943673122863noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4881993293647462179.post-91687235809530617312013-11-02T10:14:28.972-04:002013-11-02T10:14:28.972-04:00Motherhood made me a far less judgmental person. I...Motherhood made me a far less judgmental person. It is humbling. You are a wonderful mama, Emilie. Aralenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14599813866995083156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4881993293647462179.post-72559590976845927792013-11-01T14:46:38.788-04:002013-11-01T14:46:38.788-04:00This post made cry. Not an actual cry, but more o...This post made cry. Not an actual cry, but more of a soft, panic-sticken, chest-tightened almost-cry. You are good at coming up with words.<br /><br />I've been a bit hurt lately by all the anti-feminist rhetoric claiming that we devalue motherhood. On the one hand, I know how flawed it is. On the other hand, people I love buy into it. How can any mother not know that I agonize over my children with all the love and terror and zealotry and fury as any mother who has ever loved a baby? I am never, really, at ease when I'm not with my babies, and I've worked with so many women with similar accounts. <br /><br />It has been really interesting to me that even my friends who have not been raised in cultures like ours, whose mothers had successful careers while childrearing, have the same violent, gut-wrenching reactions to motherhood. I don't know how many e-mails I have in my inbox to the effect of "Help! My maternity leave is almost over and I'm having an emotional breakdown!" It really does take your breath away. And I know I don't have to answer the ever-asked "Then why not just stay home?" <br /><br />Not here, anyway.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00747017118080100528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4881993293647462179.post-51726620234191019202013-11-01T13:51:12.719-04:002013-11-01T13:51:12.719-04:00hi emilie--remember me? we taught "ethics and...hi emilie--remember me? we taught "ethics and values" (those quotation marks are thick with meaning) at the university formerly known as utah valley...actually i forget what it was called at the time. <br /><br />anyway, i sometimes look at your blog because it's so wonderful, and i had to comment on this post. i had a baby boy a year ago, and i love what you say in this post about what it feels like to be a mother. it is unexpected and strange and, as you write, gripping. and i think you're right that the emotional experience of motherhood is probably pretty much the same no matter how you're doing it.<br /><br />emily asplundemilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05859395002943347173noreply@blogger.com