Where are all the professional women?

[fsophiah]

Where are all the professional women?

Amen.

[Ivygoodluck]

Where are all the professional women?

Hello Em, Chrys, and all who have written on this thread.

I have had very little joy and a lot of agony as a mother since my only child, a son, has been mentally ill for the last 30 years. It is a disease that runs in my family and at lease six others have/have had it. Now he is fairly stabilized but it is excrutiating to see all his talents, and he is very bright, overshadowed by what happened to him through the genetics I obviously brought to him.

I honestly don't feel fathers feel this the way we do. Whether it is illness, danger (like Iraq) or anything else, we feel it in our bodies and souls the way no man can. I'm sorry, but this is what I have seen. Even the best men don't really know because we have brought these children forth into the world, from our bodies and our souls, and nothing can change that.

So, I do understand. I, too, tried to lose myself in my professionalism, but of course that is what every one does with her job when stuff like this happens. It's just we attribute more "meaning" to our work than, say, if we were typing or washing cars. But it is all honest work. I know you all agree with that.

Now I have been given a gift. A grandnephew who has become like our grandkid. He is five. The most wonderful, smart, funny kid on earth. And of course I am now terrified that something bad may happen to him. Fortunately, my husband has bonded well with him and they have a great male-male relaationship. I know I could be too nervous about things, so he is a blessed balance.

Love to all, Ivy

[millie50]

Where are all the professional women?

Hi Grateful! Well, I am a social worker-does that count? But as was already mentioned most of us are BUSY-and I have to admit I usually don't post any threads, I just read them. (sorry) I am just trying to keep my own head above the water line so to speak. I like Gabby's comment about healing....At any rate, I agree with you about how some of the threads are drivel-but also like you indicated even drivel has its place.
But I would like to say that being a "professional" doesnt mean that you have more to offer than a "blue collar" type. My best friends in life are blue collar types-it has been my experience that they are more honest and less status driven than us professionals-so "be open" to stimulating discussions from all points of views. hugs. millie

[GratefulEm]

Where are all the professional women?

Oh, let's just get past this professional thing, O.K? I don't think that blue collar workers are more honest or
down to earth than professionals. We don't need to apologize for who we are. We are all just who we are.
For years I just wanted to grow up and be who I was supposed to be in life. It took me to age 39 to "become" a teacher. Some of that can be blamed on a mother who stipped me of alot of my self confidence. No one is better than anyone else. I wasn't putting anyone down by my word "drivel." Did it ever occur to anyone that professional types also engage in silliness too? It was just my mood when I wrote that post. I was in a - oh it's so hard to explain it because I get so serious about the state of the world and where we're headed. Please, let's just get beyond this. Lawyer, doctor, Walmart greeter at the door, we're all just humans trying to live our lives on this earth and trying to make some sense of it all.
Muslim fanatics who hate us and want to kill as many of us as possible - we're all trying to make sense of a senseless world. And we're all groping our way through our trials with an enticing drug called alcohol.
Ladies - please - no class distinctions - O.K.?

[mojomuppet]

Where are all the professional women?

wow! i hope there are no muslims here.that comment em,took my breath away.

[sujul]

Where are all the professional women?

Yeah, please, let's be a little more thoughtful here...I think I know exactly what you intended here, Em, and I know you specifically said "fanatics"--but as you well know this is a hypersensitive, extremely combustible world now...I have done a great deal of interfaith work in the past year (I am in seminary) and I have seen this sort of remark be misunderstood time and time again...it tends to feed into people's fears and prejudices and just inflames what is already a heartbreaking situation. By all means, let's refer to the fanatics of the world--but let's not assign them a specific faith tradition...murderous fanatics come in ALL stripes.....
susan

[sujul]

Where are all the professional women?

RJ--I wonder if this thread could be closed? I think the title keeps bringing people on and it keeps going off the rails...

Time to move on!
Thanks--
susan

[GratefulEm]

Where are all the professional women?

RJ, please close it and this time I am REALLY done. Now I've got the politically correct police coming down on me. I can't say anything right here so this is just NOT for m e. Too bad. Two strikes and I'm truly out.
I said FANATICS O.K. ??? you two. You don't care that they could blow my son up and lots of other people's sons and daughters up at any moment. What's it like to be in Iraq and never know 24-7 if a suicide bomber is coming your way. What does that do to your head? I KNOW that 95% of MUslim people are wonderful decent people so lets stop all this scolding, I know best stuff. I'm sick and tired of being berated for expressing my thoughts on here - a place I thought was safe and where I could get some healing. I'm religious too and have served many posts in my church but keep an open mind. After 9/11 I asked a Muslim doctor to come in and talk to my history classes at the highschool and she reassured them that Muslims want peace but FANATICS don't and want to blow us up and hate us for who we are. I didn't say anything wrong you two. Get a life! Close the thread. Amen.

[fallen]

Where are all the professional women?

em-i am with you.

when i read your first post, i felt connection-but i also knew that post was going to invite criticism. i am an English teacher-i am new here-i am terrified-i want to know that we may have problems with alcohol-but we are still really smart, interesting, multi-layered people. the problem, for me, is that because of this issue i need to assured that i am not just a person who drinks too much. i want this site to remind me of that. and when it feels like "drivel" i am afraid that all i am is a person who drinks too much. i can't even read these posts without wanting to edit them. and yet-mistakes and all-i find so many heart connections. and the heart connections really over-ride all else. em-e-mail me.

[C]

Where are all the professional women?

Dear God -- help us all

Dear Em,

Yikes!! Holy cow!! I feel so bad that this happened to you on these forums. It could so easily have happened to me (and in life schema reality -- it has).

Again, again-- I say - -you did nothing wrong, my dear. And you are far, far from "politically incorrect". In FACT, your comments had nothing to do with current politics and the volatile war situtaion. However, this is the sad world we live in, dear Sister. And, I am a bit sad about some responses here.

So EM, please know that there is nothing wrong with your perceptions or opinions. And please know that you are one beautiful soul, of the cluster committed to peace.

I feel Donny will be fine.

I will send you my personal email. I, like you, am not angry with the board, just observant & curious. A bit disappointed maybe, not sure. Not surprised -- because these are difficult & confusing times ..that bring out the same in us, it seems.

I am rambling. Sorry. For me, the information and the experiences that the serious members on this board have with their struggle, continue to help me. So I stay online. Outside of the drinking problem & practical solutions, I find the board at times too intense & emotional for me to deal with, ie, makes me feel like drinking -- the drama & all. Totally, my own problem.

I will send you private message with my email. Respond when you can.
Love & Peace to You & Donnie
C

[sujul]

Where are all the professional women?

Em, you are way out of line. I know you are under a great deal of stress but you are not the only one experiencing a lot of pain because of what's going on in the world. As you can see from the top of the post, I live in New York City. I certainly DO know what it feels like to be targeted by fanatics. I not only was trapped under the World Trade Center in the subway for several hours, I lost two close friends. My godson was wounded in Iraq in August. I have plenty of creds in the heartbreak department.

I was merely suggesting that the type of language you used could be misunderstood. That's all.

[Helensback]

Where are all the professional women?

A thought.......

Sometimes hyper-sensitivity can trigger a bomb just as effectively as an ill-spoken word.

Helen