When I Was Young

[Nyx_85]

When I was young I didn't play house. Instead I played with my imagination.

When I was young I didn't have a baby doll. Instead I was a performer. At 3 I had 'road kill' down pat.

When I was young I didn't plan my wedding. Instead I imagined saving the world and being a rock star.

When I was young I never wanted to play the same games as the other kids. Instead I was an adventurer. My pony was my trusty steed.

When I was young I didn't read Seventeen, YM or Bop and obsess over marrying Johnathan Taylor Thomas. Instead I wrote poetry. I read non-stop and made my sister show me her textbooks before I entered her grade so I would have a head start. I wanted to try my best to learn and understand as much as i could.

When I was young I imagined what I wanted to be when I grew up. Author, playwright, songwriter, animal rights activist, human rights activist, humanitarian aid worker, wildlife photographer...

The words “housewife” and “mother” never came to mind. And even as an adult those words still seem foreign to me.

Yet I am faced with the constant assertion that as a woman, this should be my goal. That anything contrary is simply the brainwashing of living in a feminist society, even if I don't identify as a feminist myself, or my own personal fight against what is human nature. That I should have no identity of my own, no goals, and no dreams that don't reflect said nature.

What about my nature? How come they never ask about that?

How come nobody ever asks “What were you like when you were young?”

Peace

[vonasaurus]

sounds like you and i would have been good friends if we'd met when we were young (and we probably would be today as well).

"the idea that women are mothers first, people second, is so pervasive that debunking it can seem its own kind of wish." -kate bolick

you should definitely read "selfish, shallow, and self-absorbed: 16 writers on the decision not to have kids" if you haven't already. good take. :)

[Nyx_85]

Thanks! I've never had a ton of friends. At least people I would call true friends. I will definitely read that take.

[vonasaurus]

oops, just realized i should clarify that it's a book, not a take~ meghan daum is the editor. but definitely give it a read anyway; it's awesome. :)

[kilowatt04]

You are awesome, and I am super thankful that people like you are allowed to be free today and expose us all to your awesomeness, rather than shut in some kitchen, broken, doing household tasks. Thank you for this take. I was a lot like you as a kid, but the expectations of what I was supposed to be were different being a guy, but yeah I feel the same way.

[peachblossomluck]

I feel you on this one. When I was a child, other kids wanted to "play house" while I wanted to design and build one, floor plan on up lol.

[Nyx_85]

Haha. That reminds me how I got obsessed with the Sims when that game first came out. But I never played with the people. I just designed the houses.

[peachblossomluck]

Lol. I have a friend who was really into the SIMS for everything:) Everyone wanted me to be the "Mom" but I wanted to talk vaulted ceilings and winding staircases lol.

[Nyx_85]

Haha yeah the human relation aspect of it just isn't interesting to me either.

[Nyx_85]

I remember talking to someone when I was younger about what kind of house I wanted and he was like "Yeah are you going to have a husband and kids?" and I was like "What are you talking about?" Hahahaha

[peachblossomluck]

I actually was married and a parent and good at it but it wasn't my dream when I was growing up like it seemed to be for other girls. I was like: " Miss me with that." LOL.

[1truekhaleesi]

This is awesome. We would've been good friends. When I was little, I loved to read and I still do. I dreamed of traveling to places that made me feel like I stepped into a book. I neved dreamed of motherhood and I still don't.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

Nice, made me think about my childhood and it felt reliable enough that I could see how you feel.

[Chico_brah]

All of these pictures you got are so hot. Wait w0t?

[Curmudgeon]

And old song comes to mind:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTLU1Qx5ioI

[RealandGenuine26]

*gives standing ovation*

[cupidkisses]

I want to be little girl again

[pinkanon]

reminds me of my childhood

[sanjayc]

nice

[Leandri]

Ahhh nice yeah

[edgyfox]

I miss being Young.