Chez Rozarie

So my last piece was written before shutdown, before staying at home was for the good of all, before schools closed and went virtual, before our lives were upended, and before many lost theirs. It was written before we began again this walk to justice, this walk to civil rights for all. It was written before people began to ask me if we experienced what was being talked about in public by all - and what's more what is being listened to by most. It was written in the before time changed world. Today, we are beginning to open up again. We are careful, many wear our masks faithfully to protect others. Some just don't care and have no problems telling others this. They have outed themselves in their selfishness and lack of care about their elders and neighbors. I washed 7 masks yesterday doing my laundry! SEVEN! That alone tells me how much I've traveled about in the past week. My usual number was TWO for the week. I'm even getting used to matching the masks to my shirt...

For a long time, being a Mom was the ultimate identity I had. I teach this stuff for college students so I think about identity a lot. What it is...always goes to a key concept: "am I who I say I am, or who I appear to be to others". Mom is the one you call when things are hard. How many of us remember the voice screaming, "MA!"? Or the crying and running to where you are? There are so many ways our Momness takes front and center. Mom is also the one you blame when you have troubles, whether those troubles happen before you become an adult or in your young adulthood. I often blamed both my parents for not encouraging me to play more sports. Yes, I played recreation volleyball and basketball - that was what we had - no Title 9 until I was in high school. But Mom told me not to run because of my big boobs - no such thing as a sports bra in those days, either. Given my self-consciousness about those boobs, I paid attention to what she said. I didn't think to ...