By Dakota Sands
I am a boomer in my late ’60s a feminist before there was ever a movement in the ’60s. When I graduated high school I openly announced to my father I wasn’t going to have children. He told me I was a suffragette and offered an explanation. He recognized my independence. This decision was incubated in the ’50s. I was socially,politically aware. Somewhere during this time period there was a prediction there will be over population in the next 30 yrs,decade or century. Though I was a loving,nurturing young woman who babysat for neighbors children and cared for my younger sister I made a pact with myself it would be harsh to bring a child into a world of overpopulation when there were children on earth I could nuture/mother. To date I have a god daughter who I’ve taken pride since 2-months old being apart of her life every step of her 21 yrs. Also I’ve worked with children as a counselor and adults as a psychiatric social worker. For this I am satisfied. I recently retired. When I see babies and children I fondly google at them. Yet I’m satisfied knowing I was right about my unselfish deed to humanity. Especially in the last several decades of horrendous social, political disturbances. It would have worried me to no end having raised children and grandchildren in this unsafe world.
I had the best living through the mild, innocent ’50s. Though it was oppressive for women there were some of us break out women who went on their own way to date. I have more to say about my adventures I wouldn’t have had if I were with child. There are trade-offs and mine is working.
