All Mine

Mark asks the question if we tell others we are writers. When someone asks us what we do for a living, do we tell them we write?

I don't. I'm not embarrassed and I'm not too concerned about what people think. The simple fact of the matter is I don't like to share it. Writing means a great deal to me. It is a personal means of expression and I don't take it lightly. Also it is one of the few things I have in my life that is mine and mine alone.

I have found over the years that I have gone from a self-involved twentysomething singleton to a thirtysomething stay at home mom. For those of you who are stay at home caregivers, you understand how so much of what you once were must be abandoned for what you are now. I'm not saying it is bad, but it is a progression. Most of my waking hours are devoted to taking care of my family and home. That includes the mental part of anticipating the needs of my family.

I'm not staying people with jobs have it easier, but when I worked full time, I had eight hours a day where someone else made the decisions about my kids. Someone else worried about getting the house clean. And I shared cooking duties with my dh. Also, I was more apt to share my writing with my co-workers. In fact, I wrote a book that I passed along to them strictly for theirs and my enjoyment. I talked about my writing more.

What's the difference? I think my writing is the one selfish thing I do. I don't go on weekends away with the gals, I don't shop beyond Target, I don't do bunco and I don't even watch t.v. for myself. Writing is the one thing I do where I am only trying to please myself. Does any of this make sense?