Letter to Mountain Gazette

Here's a letter to one of my favorite journals, Mountain Gazette, illustrating part of the roll conflict facing both men and women these days. What she has to say could just as easily come from a man:

Dear Editor:

Influenced by Nicole Gordon’s “Twixter” piece (MG #116) and Stephen W. Studebaker’s letter to the editor requesting more female representation in the MG (same issue), I submit some insomnia-influenced thoughts. (The clock currently reads 4:20 am, no joking.) Call me a twixter, Gen-X-er, thirty something-er or whatever have me (a narcissist?), but I’ve yet to sense the proverbial tick-tock of my biological clock. My “sound” wisdom tells me that the so-called biological clock is only part of the reason why humans jump on the baby bandwagon. In my opinion, I believe a larger part of this drive comes from external influences — like the “tender” coaxing from one’s family and close friends, more tax deductions and credits, boredom in the relationship and the “mini-me” aspect stemming from romantic pillow talks of perfect little offspring with perfect little features full of perfect potential. Never mind the not-so-perfect state of affairs on our planet upon which they’ll live. But, I digress.

In thinking about all this — this nagging search for deeper meaning so typical of my “type” — and knowing it will not be fulfilled by the creation of offspring, I’m forced to focus on what is. Not the what can be, could be or hopefully will be of my 20-something mind. What is. What is is the aforementioned planet we’ve all sucked nearly dry for our own short-term benefit. The old cliché “live for the day” seems to have been taken literally by most of the earth’s inhabitants. Build more, consume more, acquire more, improve more, more, bigger, better … We are living the tomorrow created by this way of thinking and continue to perpetuate it. I suppose one could argue with my earlier point — that we need offspring to mastermind the next wave of scientific, genetically modified, homogenized and pasteurized discoveries to “band-aid” the messes created by earlier generations. (The pharmaceutical industry comes to mind). No, the impact I’ve had on this earth ends with me. Call it my contribution. It’s the least I can do.

Lauri B

Aspen, CO