From Where I Sit

blurry photo courtesy of my personal photographer-on-retainer, Mark...blurry photos are his specialty

Ever since I read this article I've been thinking about it and writing a response to its author in my head.  I found it to be fascinating and extremely well written.  I don't know why it provoked such a response in my inner workings.  Is it because I'm a Mormon?  A mother?  A blogger?  (Though sadly not the same type of blogger.  I have blurry pictures and shoddy grammar, while they have large followings and beautiful posts.)

I have, in fact, written a blog post about it already that I ended up abandoning because it was not quite right.  It's my perception against the author's.  And who's to say my perception is correct?

I haven't read all of the blogs she mentioned, but I've read a few.  I certainly don't see perfect lives.  I see struggles and heartbreak and talent and creativity and moxie.

And I see happiness.

(As a Mormon I've never had the feeling I'd "better be happy." I have been given knowledge on how to become happier.  That seems like a different thing altogether.)

When I read blogs, I don't see women who "arrange flowers all day."  Can someone really imagine that to be true?  I can't for the life of me believe there's a mother alive that arranges flowers all day.

There may be, but I've never met one.

I was surprised to read that the lives of these Mormon mothers, the lives I can relate to enough that they seem normal and conventional, are considered to be blissful.  Maybe it's because I know that these skilled bloggers who are showcasing their talents whether in the form of crafts, brilliant writing, entertaining or flower arranging, are also changing diapers, doing dishes and laundry.

And if they're not in the diaper stage, they're probably in the cub scout/activity days/YM/YW cyclone of activity and that's about as far from blissful as you can get.

Again, that's just me (still reeling from my Wednesday afternoon/evening when all those activities happen around here).