Mondays for days ...

[Train]

You know, zew, you may be onto something. And it ties in also with what Starsky is saying. Maybe it isn't about how the spouses "look" at the W who chooses to stay home after working ... or chooses to work after staying home ... but it's about the W herself. It's about her own attitude. Her own perception of HERSELF. Her own confidence.

What a novel concept: the way we feel about ourselves may just cause other people to take notice and view us differently ...

Hmmmmm ... that sounds familiar!!

I love being a SAHM and being with my kids every day. But I'm certainly not the confidant, self-assured, independent person I was 8-10 years ago when I was in my "prime" at my job. No way, no how.

Granted, I'm getting that back a little, even while continuing as a SAHM. But it took my H leaving me to do it. I don't think I was able to exude this confidence in 2005 when he left because I was weak and vulnerable and pregnant. All I cared about was doing whatever I could to save my M. Saving MYSELF was a second-thought ... if a thought at all. I was faking it ... only to get H back.

Sad, really. But here we are, and there are valuable lessons to be learned here. Starting with: change ourselves and our own outlook first. Everything else will fall into place.