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| Why is it empty? Two reasons... |
Very recently, a good friend asked me if I ever give any thought to what I would be doing, if the children had never come along.
To be honest, I never have.
But for the purposes of research, you understand, I did so.
Firstly it felt incredibly disloyal to entertain the notion. Secondly, I knew, within an instant, I would be a Travel Journalist - or certainly would have put my efforts in that direction. I don't know where that came from, because I'm not exactly trained, yet my love of travel has sustained me through my life. When all things have been crap, a new country will suffice, thank you, to escape - in all possible ways, the woes of existence that we all meet sometimes.
Yes, in a heartbeat, there was the answer and it was as though an ache had been uncovered.
She had nothing wise to say herself, just that she'd be down the pub more and fatter for that! The fact this friend even posed the question was more surprisng. We both feel lucky to have our children at all - they came in our forties - hers through IVF, mine, as you know, with my Shitty Ex.
I asked a couple of other friends and they felt they would have continued in their happily established and fulfilling existing careers (catering and Nursery Nursing). They also got the same sort of whistful look about them that had crept up on me, followed, of course, immediately by mother's guilt!
The only man I asked, just said he'd be far better off financially. Wouldn't we all, mate?
None of us would be without our little ones, even for a moment, to even explore what we had uncovered, but it just shows how much of us we lose of ourselves, once we become parents. Surely, it's never too late though?
What do you think? What would you be doing?
