Why am I feeling this way again, now? Because lately I haven't been feelin' the love :). I don't quite fit into any "group."
- I'm married, so the "singles" and "young adults" don't chat as freely with me as they used to.
- I'm not married long enough to hang with the married folk, 'cause they look down on me as a "newlywed" still in the "honeymoon stage." (I'm not seasoned in the art of husband-bashing, eye-rolling, wink-winking, and elbow-nudging, apparently... whatever that's all about), nor do we have children, yet (not for lack of wanting them, I assure you), so we don't know the "strain of marriage" enough to have anything to offer.
- I'm not in the "in crowd" amongst my youth ministry peers, because I don't do Life Teen at our parish (certainly not against it, it's just not where our parish is right now).
- I don't fit with the "conservatives" 'cause I don't wear a mantilla, nor with the "liberals" 'cause I love Tradition, tradition, and the Magisterium.
- I'm not truly frugal because I buy Florida Orange Juice (not from concentrate, which costs 1/3 as much).
- I'm not a big spender because I clip coupons.
- I'm not a country person because we don't actually live on the farm (yet).
- I'm not a townie because my husband is a farmer and we grow and preserve a lot of our food.
- I'm not a real homeschooler because I school, at home, my nieces... not my own kids (apparently we're considered co-op or something).
- I'm not a real housewife because I work outside the home.
- I'm not a real working woman because it's only part-time.
I'm a young happily married Catholic youth minister who loves the Church, teaches her nieces, and loves the thrifty, natural, beautiful lifestyle of the country.
If that precludes me from all groups, so be it. I'm at home in the arms of my husband. I have a loving family and amazing in-laws. I'm a member of the Universal Church founded by Christ and established on the rock of Peter.
Yay for personal mid-week pep talks :).
Your post made my day! I recently went to a homeschool event here in town (b/c I'm dying from lack of socialization, I guess). Not only was I the only one at the potluck who didn't bring homemade food (I forgot what a sin that was!), I definitely got the you-haven't-been-married-long-enough-to-fit-in-with-us vibes, too. In my defense, one mom pointed out that I'd said I was pregnant... but another replied, "Yeah, but look how tiny she is! You can't even tell!" *sigh* So my husband and I spend our solitary evenings playing scrabble, walking through the park, reading books, or just sitting on the front porch. We don't feel fifteen. More like sixty-five!
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