Gina, I love the new look. Doesn’t look much like suburbia, but maybe that’s the point. Especially according to Chesterton, I guess! So, something has been on my mind as of late. I keep asking myself this question- how did we get here? or, what happened? Here’s an example. The food we eat. I sit at the table every night and listen to my daughter protest the dinner. She doesn’t like any kind of meat. She doesn’t like cooked vegetables. Etc. She loathes dinnertime. So, I’m starting to think. Why do we feel pressure to make our kids eat all their cooked disgusting vegetables? Why do we feel pressure to cook elaborate meals every night? Why do we even feel pressure to cook DIFFERENT meals every night? I exaggerate when I say EVERY night, but you get the point. How did we get here? Why can’t I just give my kids raw fruits and veggies for dinner (in addition to their other food, that is)? Why do I HAVE to make my kids eat meat even if they don’t want it- as long as they’re getting enough protein from another source? I was watching the Food Network the other night and they had a food scientist on who eats everything raw. Obviously, he eats mostly fruits and veggies. Doesn’t cook a darn thing. Says that cooking is outdated. Anyway, the question remains, how did we get here? I also ask that question of Christianity- what the heck happened? And here’s another one: Where did we get the notion that our kids are supposed to ‘grow up’, move away from home, go to college for four years, get a successful job, etc. and so on? I saw a magazine article the other day that had pictures of homes that were owned by second and third generations of people. Wow. To think, my kids might want to own and/or live in this home when they’re older. I’m not one who has a ‘co-dependent’ relationship with my kids, but I can’t imagine us all splitting up and living in different states at some point. I have a friend who is from England and lives here in the states. Her sister came to visit her from England and when she left, the parting was tortuous. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we break our families up to ’see the world’ or ‘get an education’ or whatever the heck we do? I’ll stop there. I’m sure I’m rambling and venting, mostly, but I figure I’ve got to make up for some lost time on this here blog. . .
Ha! I’m Catching up to Gina, the Turbo Blogger
October 18, 2007 by wildwest5
I just finished a Wendell Berry novel you might enjoy Heather. It doesn’t answer the questions you’re asking, but it asks them with you.
Jayber Crow
I’m Robert by the way, another occasional contributor here. Welcome aboard.
About raising children, I have no advice to give whatsoever.
I think there’s a certain healthiness to monotony, however. I wonder if our taste buds and minds are confused at the dizzying variety at our fingertips. Without the modern grocery machine, we would only be able to grow certain things (still quite a variety, relatively speaking), and while those things are in season, we’d be eating them and eating them and eating them. Now I have no idea how kids’ minds work, but they seem to appreciate regularity more than we do. If they like a certain vegetable, what about giving it to them in season as much as possible, otherwise not so much? Next season when it comes around, they might be more appreciative?
Glad you like the format. It had some things that seemed more useful, like showing who wrote the post at the top, and putting the permanent pages in tabs. It’s not especially suburban, but that bridge might be in a suburban park.
Thanks for the book recommendation. I might actually try it. I’ve read several of Wendell’s essay books. I tried to read ‘Hannah Coulter’ but I got bored. I usually get bored when reading fiction unless it’s short stories or Jane Austen or something. Now, knowing what Jayber Crow has to offer, I might try it. And, yes, Gina I totally concur with the monotony thing.