I love the truth in this: “That was the thing about women like Kate, a little bit of money and suddenly all the world’s their fault. Bridget would never have got herself mixed up with it if it hadn’t been for Peggy urging her on, putting ideas in her head.” Yes, Bridget is awakening and yes, Kate helped to facilitate, yet there’s a quality of inevitability that rings true.
I heard an expression recently, that caring about what happens in the world is like “being the world’s twin sister,” as if that’s a bad thing. Sure, we have to take care of our own mental health but we also have to follow our hearts. The solidarity of this movement is magnificent.
I struggled on this chapter. Not sure why I'm not getting further than Janet letting us know of her marriage decision. I'm thinking of how she's feeling. It this really where she wants to be heading and what about any regrets?
Wow. Such a perfectly subtle way of letting us know that Janet knows! I also appreciate how Janet has mapped out the life she feels she *should* have had and then projected it onto Bridget's imagined future. SO many mothers do this. We want our kids to show up as us. The thing is... our kids are very much their own people... they are only on loan to us for an all-too short time.
One of my favourite chapters so far, with so many striking sentences and observations. This glorious sentence really grabbed me: "It made Janet wild, if wild was a temperament she could express, but years of putting a stop to her feelings had made her coat them in smoke, and tears wiped away before opening the door to this bloody woman from down the street who would not stop ringing the bell, would not leave off, leave her to settle her mind after she’d done the beds and worked out the tea and written her lists like she used to do when Bridget hadn’t got ideas, when Paul and Bridget used to go off to school and Ray would go off to work and she’d have till eleven to herself." I could almost feel you pause here and steady yourself before launching into it, like a ballerina about to perform the 32 fouetté turns in Swan Lake. All I can say is, "Brava!"
I love the truth in this: “That was the thing about women like Kate, a little bit of money and suddenly all the world’s their fault. Bridget would never have got herself mixed up with it if it hadn’t been for Peggy urging her on, putting ideas in her head.” Yes, Bridget is awakening and yes, Kate helped to facilitate, yet there’s a quality of inevitability that rings true.
I heard an expression recently, that caring about what happens in the world is like “being the world’s twin sister,” as if that’s a bad thing. Sure, we have to take care of our own mental health but we also have to follow our hearts. The solidarity of this movement is magnificent.
I struggled on this chapter. Not sure why I'm not getting further than Janet letting us know of her marriage decision. I'm thinking of how she's feeling. It this really where she wants to be heading and what about any regrets?
Wow. Such a perfectly subtle way of letting us know that Janet knows! I also appreciate how Janet has mapped out the life she feels she *should* have had and then projected it onto Bridget's imagined future. SO many mothers do this. We want our kids to show up as us. The thing is... our kids are very much their own people... they are only on loan to us for an all-too short time.
Yes. This.
…loved this chapter, btw. :)
Aha! So Janet DOES know! Wow. Her tension of choices just got a lot heavier.
Hadn't realised until your comment so re read the chapter. Thank you for stating this, my mind is rolling off page today!
yup….
One of my favourite chapters so far, with so many striking sentences and observations. This glorious sentence really grabbed me: "It made Janet wild, if wild was a temperament she could express, but years of putting a stop to her feelings had made her coat them in smoke, and tears wiped away before opening the door to this bloody woman from down the street who would not stop ringing the bell, would not leave off, leave her to settle her mind after she’d done the beds and worked out the tea and written her lists like she used to do when Bridget hadn’t got ideas, when Paul and Bridget used to go off to school and Ray would go off to work and she’d have till eleven to herself." I could almost feel you pause here and steady yourself before launching into it, like a ballerina about to perform the 32 fouetté turns in Swan Lake. All I can say is, "Brava!"
That warms my heart so much. Thank you thank you