Monday Miscellaneous (Again!)

 Well, here I am, Monday afternoon again, and I don't have a prepared post ready. In fact, it's Monday evening and time to start preparing dinner, and I don't have a post ready! But fortunately others have been posting beautifully, so I thought I'd give a shout out to some of our fellow No Kidding bloggers recently. 

Infertile Phoenix has written a wonderful post about being able to use her wisdom to help friends who are parents. It's a blog of friendship, of contentedness, and most of all, of growth and wisdom. I think it will give great comfort and hope to those who are still trying to figure out how they can resume living in a world populated by parents, and do it comfortably. I think it will be especially helpful to those who don't quite believe - yet - that it is even possible.

Infertility Honesty had a great post last week about what I call (and have written about) the "Next Big Thing." She says what I have always said (in different words) - that surviving and living and loving life is in fact our next big thing, and is nothing to be sneezed at. This is such a perennial issue for people coming into acceptance of living a no kidding life. We all wonder "what's next?" So many of us feel an obligation to do something big, or something that is meaningful to us, or that justifies our place in the world. When really, just being here justifies our place in the world. There's no obligation to do more. But surviving well, surviving and growing, surviving and lifting the pressure from ourselves, is maybe the best reward we can give ourselves.

And finally, Loribeth has written a lovely tribute to the most motherly character on Downton Abbey, who just happens to be childless. A mainstream TV show with a childless character who plays an important role in the lives of others is always a joy to behold. If you haven't read it already, go find out who it is! 

There are so many others posting too, and such good posts, that I couldn't name you all. I read these ones most recently, but I love all my fellow No Kidding bloggers.