Iwasstruckbythatmemoryyesterdaywhileboardingtheplanetocomehere – notjustbyhowfarmylifehascomesincethen, butbyhowmeaningfulthatseeminglysmalllessonhasbeen. WhenIwasstillachild, myfatherdevelopedmysenseofdirectionandnow, asanadult, Itrustmyabilitytonavigatespace. Myfatherhelpedgivemetheconfidencetoguidemyselfthroughtheworld.
InlateMarch, lastyear, 2016, Ibecameaparentforthefirsttime. Iremembertheindescribable – andasIunderstanditprettyuniversal – experienceofholdingmyweek-oldsonandfeelingmyprioritieschangeonacellularlevel. IrememberIexperiencedashiftinconsciousnessthatgavemetheabilitytomaintainmyloveofcareerandalsocherishsomethingelse, someoneelse, somuch, muchmore. Likesomanyparents, IwonderedhowIwasgoingtobalancemyworkwithmynewroleasaparent, andinthatmoment, IrememberthatthestatisticfortheUS’spolicyonmaternityleaveflashedinmymind.
Americanwomenarecurrentlyentitledto 12 weeksunpaidleave. Americanmenareentitledtonothing. Thatinformationlandeddifferentlyformewhenoneweekaftermyson’sbirth, Icouldbarelywalk. ThatinformationlandeddifferentlywhenIwasgettingtoknowahumanwhowascompletelydependentonmyhusbandandIforeverything, whenIwasdependentonmyhusbandformostthings, andwhenwewererelearningeverythingwethoughtweknewaboutourfamilyandourrelationship. Itlandeddifferently.
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