I hesitate to claim some camaraderie with Martha, because I've got a healthy propensity toward squandering my time. "Perfectionism" and "working too hard," those most virtuous of vices, are not among mine (and let me tell you, being the only woman in America who is flat out lazy and does a semi-moked job of pretty much everything is powerful lonely).
But I spend more and more of my kitcheny hours really feeling for the poor girl. I wouldn't have wanted to sit in the man-talk room while the day strode on toward suppertime, knowing what everyone in there expected of me (not quite everyone, turns out, but who saw that coming?). Sheesh, is there anything worse than being the tagalong female all the men wish would get lost? What would have happened at 6 if Martha had gotten it right? Was this a scenario that expired with the Ascension?
Then again, I have a Martha-ish tendency to get really mad about being the only person attending to tasks I have deemed immediately necessary, so maybe that's what this is about. Either way I'm wrong, of that I am certain.
And all this dissonance without any kids in the story! What if?!
7 comments:
Oh, that "Martha-ish tendency to get really mad about being the only person attending to tasks I have deemed immediately necessary"! Happens like every day around here.
I second that, Katy.
But I will quickly confess that I AM a Martha - ironic, because it's my middle name too. My dad always used to tease my mom (same middle name) and me that we took after our names' sake too much. I often took offense at that, until I realized also that Martha is perhaps the only woman in the Bible to give a confession as explicit as Peter's. At the death of her brother, she tells Jesus, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." Just like Martha, I may get my priorities all screwed up and be consumed with the to-do list in my head or on the paper (which can prevent me from truly focusing on my devotions, among other things). Yet, I know there is still hope for me, because just like Martha, I know who Christ is - thanks be to God!
"...being the only woman in America who is flat out lazy and does a semi-moked job at everything" only feels powerful lonely because you're one of the only ones actually ADMITTING it!! If each of us told nothing but the honest truth about the true intensity and extent of our daily profitability levels, I believe it would be the "working-too-hard perfectionists" making up the powerful lonely crowd.
There are certain men I would love to sit and listen to talk for hours, but I hope I'm sharp enough to anticipate long beforehand my becoming the "tag-along female".
Besides, I figure, before long I'd better get up and start rattling them pots and pans anyway because, like you said, you rarely see it coming whether you should have been the Mary or the Martha in any given situation. Might as well have the supper ready just in case. *sigh*
Be lonely no more, sister! ;)
TC, are you back in America? :D
Yes! :)
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