(photo from Ads of the World.)
I think I understand now why women in days of yore went into seclusion when they found out they were pregnant.
It was so they would not have to answer stupid questions, and endure the ridiculous comments of the blissfully ignorant.
I say "blissfully ignorant" because to the one who is ignorant, it is blissful to be so. However, to the person upon which the blissfully ignorant chooses to bestow his or her blissful ignorance, it is not so blissful.
I really hope you understand that last sentence because I can't think of any other way to explain it.
These blissfully ignorant souls really have no idea how much damage they are inflicting upon the mother-to-be. Bless their little hearts, they don't mean to be insulting and/or aggravating. They just can't help it because they haven't been there yet. Or they HAVE been there, but it's been such a long time, that they have forgotten.
Here is an example of a recent (ACTUAL) conversation with someone of the blissfully-ignorant persuasion. This is a person I had never previously met, but found myself working with in a volunteer effort at my church.
Blissfully Ignorant: "Wow, you look REALLY pregnant! How pregnant are you?"
Guinevere Meadow: "I'm 31 weeks pregnant."
B.I. "What does that mean?"
G.M. (thinking to herself, it means I've been pregnant for 31 weeks, you twit.) "It means I have 9 weeks to go because 40 weeks is considered full-term."
B.I. "So when are you due?"
G.M. (Duhhh...if I have 9 weeks to go, then it must be sometime near the end of November. I guess B.I. just really can't do math.) November 29th.
B.I. "Are you SURE?"
G.M. (No, I'm not sure, as it goes. You see, my doctor is a complete quack and doesn't know how to calculate due dates. I've had three sonograms and about 15 bajillion office visits, and STILL she can't tell when the baby's coming.) Yes, I'm sure.
B.I. "Wow, it looks like you're having twins. Are you?"
G.M. (I don't think I'll EVER get tired of that question.) No, there's just one baby in there!
B.I. "Are you SURE?"
G.M. (Again, my doctor's a total quack. Three sonograms and 15 bajillion office visits have not yet confirmed how many people are currently residing in my uterus.) Yes, I'm sure. By the way, that's really a rude question.
G.M. leaves the room so as not to perpetuate any further sarcasm and to prevent B.I. from further embarassment.
End scene.
This is a conversation I have had with multiple people, most of which are people who do not know me well. (These are the same people who feel obligated to come up and rub my tummy. Why? I just don't get it. When did it become socially acceptable to put your hands on a person that you don't REALLY know all that well? Sigh.) I came home that day disgruntled with people in general, and decided I wanted to go somewhere where there were no people.
So I went to a scrapbooking workshop with some people I didn't know, and went to watch my husband's softball game afterward, among lots of people, some of whom I knew and some of whom I didn't. Thankfully, everyone I encountered that evening was very respectful of boundaries. The women I met at the scrapbooking workshop were all women who had given birth, so they knew better than to ask me if I was having twins. I was able to tell them about the conversation with B.I. and laugh about it with them.
It was balm to my soul.
I guess I don't totally want to be away from people. I just want to be away from the blissfully ignorant.
It was so they would not have to answer stupid questions, and endure the ridiculous comments of the blissfully ignorant.
I say "blissfully ignorant" because to the one who is ignorant, it is blissful to be so. However, to the person upon which the blissfully ignorant chooses to bestow his or her blissful ignorance, it is not so blissful.
I really hope you understand that last sentence because I can't think of any other way to explain it.
These blissfully ignorant souls really have no idea how much damage they are inflicting upon the mother-to-be. Bless their little hearts, they don't mean to be insulting and/or aggravating. They just can't help it because they haven't been there yet. Or they HAVE been there, but it's been such a long time, that they have forgotten.
Here is an example of a recent (ACTUAL) conversation with someone of the blissfully-ignorant persuasion. This is a person I had never previously met, but found myself working with in a volunteer effort at my church.
Blissfully Ignorant: "Wow, you look REALLY pregnant! How pregnant are you?"
Guinevere Meadow: "I'm 31 weeks pregnant."
B.I. "What does that mean?"
G.M. (thinking to herself, it means I've been pregnant for 31 weeks, you twit.) "It means I have 9 weeks to go because 40 weeks is considered full-term."
B.I. "So when are you due?"
G.M. (Duhhh...if I have 9 weeks to go, then it must be sometime near the end of November. I guess B.I. just really can't do math.) November 29th.
B.I. "Are you SURE?"
G.M. (No, I'm not sure, as it goes. You see, my doctor is a complete quack and doesn't know how to calculate due dates. I've had three sonograms and about 15 bajillion office visits, and STILL she can't tell when the baby's coming.) Yes, I'm sure.
B.I. "Wow, it looks like you're having twins. Are you?"
G.M. (I don't think I'll EVER get tired of that question.) No, there's just one baby in there!
B.I. "Are you SURE?"
G.M. (Again, my doctor's a total quack. Three sonograms and 15 bajillion office visits have not yet confirmed how many people are currently residing in my uterus.) Yes, I'm sure. By the way, that's really a rude question.
G.M. leaves the room so as not to perpetuate any further sarcasm and to prevent B.I. from further embarassment.
End scene.
This is a conversation I have had with multiple people, most of which are people who do not know me well. (These are the same people who feel obligated to come up and rub my tummy. Why? I just don't get it. When did it become socially acceptable to put your hands on a person that you don't REALLY know all that well? Sigh.) I came home that day disgruntled with people in general, and decided I wanted to go somewhere where there were no people.
So I went to a scrapbooking workshop with some people I didn't know, and went to watch my husband's softball game afterward, among lots of people, some of whom I knew and some of whom I didn't. Thankfully, everyone I encountered that evening was very respectful of boundaries. The women I met at the scrapbooking workshop were all women who had given birth, so they knew better than to ask me if I was having twins. I was able to tell them about the conversation with B.I. and laugh about it with them.
It was balm to my soul.
I guess I don't totally want to be away from people. I just want to be away from the blissfully ignorant.
2 comments:
Too funny you are!
At least the BIs give you something to blog about, hee hee....
You ticker shows 53 days left now!!!
First off, that picture is beautiful.
Second, that dialogue was hilarious. People really do say the dumbest things to preggos. At least it makes good blog fodder!
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