Monday, May 9, 2011

Enrichment Meeting

A long, long time ago, in a land far, far away, women in the mormon church used to go to homemaking meeting.  There was a lesson, and a choice of classes they could take, and if they were lucky, there were refreshments.  And their husbands babysat the kids (although it's not babysitting if they're your own kids) or the young women babysat the kids, or the older kids babysat the younger kids. Whatever. It was a chance for the women to get out of the damn house and do something, even if it was something inane.

And then the powers that be decided to make a change. After all, homemaking meeting didn't really signify anything important.  And they changed it to: home, family, and personal enrichment meeting.

And I sat back and said WTF?  Because in my heathen eyes, it seemed like they had it completely reversed. I mean, heave you ever flown on a plane? They tell you that if the oxygen masks drop down, to first secure your own mask, and then help anyone you're with. Because if you pass out from lack of oxygen while you're trying to put the oxygen mask on your seatmate, you'll both be in trouble.  But if you get your own mask on, so you're breathing clean fresh air, then you can quickly take care of your seatmate.

But in the mormon church women are not supposed to need or seek out personal time. They're at the disposal of their homes (gotta have a spotlessly clean and organized house--another sign I was never meant to be a mormon mommy), their families (gotta take care of the husband and kids), and then, last of all, themselves.  Apparently true self enrichment comes through taking care of everything else.

Sorry peeps. I put on my oxygen mask.  I like breathing clean air.

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