A straight list of gripes.

1) With age comes wisdom. Why, then, did I see an OAP of at least 70/75 smoking at the bus stop? Also, it seems that if you don’t gain wisdom, you also don’t gain consideration. Smoking away, stinking up the place. I hate cigarettes, but you’d think an experienced person would know better. THEY ARE POISON. So WHY do people still smoke them???

2) Same bus stop, now aggravating children and a mother who wont control them. Children are born to be free, noisy, naive and innocent, not possessed of the cares of adulthood. I was such. They were not, however, born to use foul language, elbow and jostle people or to refuse to give up a seat for a disabled person (who was in obviously BAD pain!!). Kids. Everywhere. Like this. Why? Aim blame at parents, tv, trash like BB, soap operas, which all tell kids that since it’s ‘normal’ for kids to act like that, it somehow also makes it ‘right.’

3) It is USELESS trying to talk sense into religious zealots. No matter what evidence you have, no matter what science backs up your side of the argument, they will not listen. Something inside their heads says No No No. And it’s like bashing your head against a granite wall trying to change that. It makes me angry, but even more it makes me miserable. Sad. Sad for the blind faithful who are pulled along on those religious strings. I have a whole family full of Christian believers. If ever there were a black sheep in this clan, then baa baa that’s me. I prefer it my own way, I wont sacrifice my ideals just to fit in. But I’d rather they see sense. I’d be so much happier that way.

4) Everyday, normal gripe: I HATE housework. I like tidying, organising… but doing the washing up, clothes washing, hoovering etc all week on my own, empty as the house is of all but me… YUCK. A housewife, I’ll never be. NEVERRRRR!! I’ll get rich and hire a maid. ;-p

Facing the Veil

Accidentally bumped into a 20-ish muslim mother today- she was covered up, wearing the traditional veil that covered her head and hair but not her face. Very polite, very smiley, accepted my apology for the bump. Lovely woman. Her little girl was with her, free spirited, (minus a veil/headdress) looking at everything with wonder in her eyes. Adorable, looked at me like I was some kind of giant, though. (I am rather tall for a girl.)

I wondered at this woman: How is it that you can suddenly, one day, make this free-spirited, laughing little girl cover up what she is? To cover her head as if she should be ashamed of what you believe ‘God’ gave her in the first place? How can you tell your own child that her freedom is forfeit, that she has to hide herself away?

I am of the belief that girls should wear what they want, while having respect for themselves and their own dignity. I believe that hair should be a glorious thing, uncovered- the ‘Boudicca’ or Artemis image of wild and free and that a woman should be exactly that. Religion quashes freedom- even the most basic type of it. Allow your little girl to grow up as she wishes; EVERY parent of EVERY religion… don’t tell your daughters that they should hide themselves from the world.