Bookish Rants

**Bookish Rants is a post dedicated to just that: ranting related to anything bookish ;)**

I just posted my review of The Edge of Always, and there was one aspect that I said irked me... How Camryn and Andrew keep saying that don't want to be like "those people," meaning people who settle down and work to pay the bills. They want to keep traveling, even when they have a child.

Having had a wonderful baby boy recently, I know that you don't stop being you just because you have a little one to care for. Your dreams are still there, and while life changes, it isn't over like so many people seem to think (I heard that a lot when I was pregnant and still don't believe it). But while your life and dreams don't end, priorities change, and keeping the heat on and your baby fed and safe is more important to a lot of people than traveling and holding on to their spontaneity.

I said in my review that Camryn and Andrew's outlook felt unrealistic and accusatory. I say that because, in the book, they have a six figure inheritance that Andrew received to fall back on. Of course they can just up and quit their jobs and ride off into the sunset! Those People, referring to most of the general population, simply don't have that luxury. 

My husband and I talk all the time about all the places we'd like to see and things we'd love to do. Buy an RV and travel for a year. Living in Europe for a while. Moving just for the sake of living somewhere different (we've done it before, we wouldn't mind doing it again). But with a baby, security and stability seem more important, even if it does sound boring, and taking a risk that we'll run out of money or we'll end up somewhere unsafe with our little guy just doesn't seem worth it. Maybe we'll have the means to do all those things one day, but in the near future, it just isn't in the cards... 

Maybe I'm taking it too personally, but while I've settled down and my husband works his ass off to pay the bills (and I've recently started working part time to help), I don't feel like we're those people. I feel like we're doing what we have to to make sure Sully (my son) has everything he needs. Sure we plan on taking Sully places and showing him that the new or unknown doesn't have to be scary, but there's no way we can just up and quit our jobs because it's what we want to do. And I bet most readers can say the same thing - so while I can relate to and admire Camryn and Andrew's outlook on life (living in the moment, not getting sucked into living for work, etc), it sucks that they have to call everyone else those people. Kind of puts a damper on the admiration. Especially when they have the means to live life the way they want. What would they do if they didn't have that money in the bank? Hmmm... That's a story I'd like to hear... 


Cheers!