Tea at Trianon: Mothers and Work

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Monday, March 16, 2015

Mothers and Work

From Parenting Team:

Sheryl Sandberg famously told women during a commencement speech to “put our foot on the gas pedal and keep it there.” My advice is exactly the opposite! Pursue your dreams, but don’t be afraid to slow down or jump off the train when your heart calls you to tend to things that last – love, marriage, babies, and happy kids. You can always jump back on the train. It’s your journey. You don’t have to choose between June Cleaver or Barbara Walters. There are miles of space between them.

When I was pregnant with baby #1, I was an at-home mom by default (I thought I was in between jobs). With time, my decision to be home became a conscious one that felt right for me and my husband. The most surprising thing was that the more kids I had, the more I found I was able to put on my plate. You know the adage, when you want something done, ask a busy person. It’s so true. Having kids taught me to prioritize, delegate, and accept life’s imperfections. I also learned the all-important skill of jumping off the train: taking breaks in career and passion pursuits to tend to the things that last.

It’s scary. You wonder if you can jump back on; if you’ll still be relevant. But every time I did it I came back stronger. I lived my life and cared for my family as the seasons of my life demanded. I ignored the trends and voices telling me that what I was doing at home with my kids and family wasn’t important or would take me permanently out of the game. I stubbornly remained true to my heart, my values and the things that last. (Read more.)

julygirl said...: When I went back to work after 15 years of being a stay-at-home mom, the business world had leaped into the use of electronic technology. I worried that my previous skills would no longer be relevant. As it turned out, the business that hired me was tired of unreliable young workers and wanted mature, dependable people. Teaching me the new technology was not a problem.; March 18, 2015 at 8:46:00 AM EDT