Value of a Mother

Townhall.com 's The ConservativeLog: "Is That All There Is?

The article by Ilya Shapiro over at Tech Central Station touched my heart:



Generation X has arrived, made its presence felt, looked around, and is wondering, 'Is that all there is?'



It is a conversation I keep having, or talking around, with my friends and peers -- the type of folks who 20 years ago would have been called yuppies (which label I at least am happy to wear now, if in a descriptive rather than ascriptive way). They -- we -- have everything we could ever want in this stage of life, but still we search for meaning....



Of course, this overwrought tale of late-20s/early-30s overachievers' angst relates most to Purple or Blue Americans living in major cities who are at or near what we classify as the 'elite' of their professions. These are the people living supposedly perfect lives (or lives on course for perfection) yet feel empty, not being able to find meaning or fulfillment in either materialism or new age spiritualism, Porsches or pilates.



'Dispatches from Purple America' is the name of Ilya's regular column. I had Blue State credentials (Ph.D. in economics, taught at Yale), but I was always too much of a Red State Girl (grew up in Ohio and loved it) to really enjoy them. So, even though I'm an old Baby Boomer (born in 1953, very up-hip for a Generation X-er), I can say with some certainty, there is more to life than the high acheivement and Blue State lifestyle.



I really found myself, believe it or not, in motherhood. In 1991, we adopted a two-year old Romanian orphan boy, and gave birth to a little girl within six months. It became apparent to me that my little boy had to have me, in particular. Not a generic mom, not high quality, low-cost day-care, but me, to be his mom. I went overnight from worrying about the world economy, to worrying about what came out of a little kid's behind. All of a sudden, I was uniquely important in a way I had never been before. My life had meaning to them, the other members of my family.



And you know what? My mind did not turn to mush. I did not lose all my friends, social status and self-esteem. I made a decision to place my intellect and education at the service of the family, and the wider community, rather than at the service of my vitae and my ego. I've never looked back.



Having a blast, Ilya. Check it out.

[12:58 PM 25-Apr-05 | Jennifer Roback Morse |"