Sacrifices

I've always known that women make many sacrifices. Many many more than men do. But now that I've become a Mamma, I realize even MORE how much we do sacrifice and how much MORE we are unappreciated. Which makes me scratch my head and wonder for some women - Why in the hell would you settle for less than what you deserve and let yourself be unappreciated, disrespected and trampled on?

I am not intending this to be a feminist rant or even a man-bashing blog, but as I start typing, so much has been swirling in my head about relationships - of friends, family and even mine that I'm just tired of keeping it in.

I feel disgusted that women aren't smarter when it comes to relationships and doing what's best for them. It's in our nature to be nurturing and to take care of everyone but ourselves but why don't we change that? In this day where women are considered to be equals, why are we still shouldering the bulk of the responsibility for taking care of the family and the household in addition to working outside the home?

For myself, I feel so lucky and blessed to have a wonderful husband who does understand (or tries to) the sacrifices I've made in order to have this wonderful bundle of love in our life. He knows how hard it is to manage our son - the lack of sleep, the fussiness, the fighting of boob/bottle, the fighting of sleep, etc. - in addition to trying to keep up with laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc.

He also understands ME. For most of you ladies, you have to admit that this is a rare thing. He understands and knows me so well that he offers, without me having to push or ask, to take care of our son just to give me time to myself. Knowing that I need a break. A few hours to do whatever I choose. Whether it's to get a pedicure, shop for myself or just so I can get out of the house and drive around - it doesn't matter. The point is - he realizes that our son is a joint responsibility and it took two of us to bring him into this world, it will take two of us to raise and care for him.

So why is it that I have such a wonderful, loving, caring and understanding husband and most women do not? This is why I scratch my head. Are men like my husband that rare? Was he truly a treasure and I lucked out when I found him? Maybe. I would like to believe that. But in reality, it's because most women settle. Settle for what they think can work or what they can make work. But why? Why don't we see the writing on the wall like men do? Why is it that men can dump woman after woman when the relationship is so wrong for them without looking back and we can't? Why do we keep trying to make a relationship work when the signs are there flashing in bright neon colors in our face? What are we afraid of? Afraid of being alone? Afraid of being ourselves? Afraid of not finding someone who loves us for who we are? Do we really think less of ourselves that we don't deserve better? What?

I have no idea why this really gets under my skin about women but it really does. Maybe because I am one of those rare women who won't settle for less than what I deserve. I go for what I want and am able to walk away from something when I feel it's less than what I deserve. I think most women don't realize that they hold the power. That they have strength in the fact that they are a woman. If more women stood up for themselves, sacrificed less of who they are and took what they deserved, there would be better men in the world. Men would have to be better than who they are now to be with us.