'...we approach this matter of parenthood with a kind of fascinated reluctance. In a way the idea certainly attracts us, and though we resent it being put in that way, we have every intention of ultimately doing our duty... But not just yet, if you see what we mean. For after something like a quarter of a century when we have incessantly wanted it to be next week, we have suddenly reached a stage where all this impatience has left us. We want Time to stand still now; we have found what we have been looking for, and intuition tells us to avoid any experiment which will so inevitably start him off again. We have an impression, too, that everyone is watching us; that they are expecting us to have a baby, and that they won't leave us alone until we do. This puts our backs up. What has it got to do, we ask, with anyone except ourselves? We know perfectly well what we're up to, and we're not going to be hustled by any amounts of hints or questions. It is, we repeat, entirely our own affair.' Denis Mackail Greenery Street
Oh how true this is - and will it ever change? Will we ever stop trying to hurry life on for others? We meet someone and it's 'Is this the one?' We stay together and we're asked 'When will you get married?' I couldn't believe how soon after the wedding the question of 'children' is asked. And then I guess when you have one child you're asked about others. What will be will be.
And there ends Persephone quotes. I'm looking forward to next year already.
The quote was worth it! Sigh, I hate those taken-for-granted expectations that you *will* have children by asking *when*.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your lovely quotes this weekend; so often the quote parts of reviews are overlooked and highlighting them in this week has really drawn my attention to the books and the writing this week.
Thank you Claire for all your lovely comments. Greenery Street seems so doubly apt for this week as I was given it on my Hen night which was held at Beas of Bloomsbury and then The Perserverance on Lambs Conduit Street.
ReplyDeleteVery apt indeed! Mmm, Bea's...
ReplyDeleteVerity promised yesterday to give it to me as a wedding gift one day :)