Being female, or male

Yes, rainy mornings when I just have no incentive to get out of bed, I think of silly things.

What if I'd been born the other sex? I heard sometime or another that I'd have been named
George E Rogers III, rather than Barbara...

But of course my sister had a second chance at being George III. She also missed out.

So among my musings, I thought how my life would have been different if I'd had a brother instead of a sister. Oh my...he would have been treated with differential airs. I had 2 female cousins older than myself, and I know a male heir was something that the family looked forward to having.

Then my younger 2 girl cousins were born after me and my sister. Oh woe was the Rogers name...no one to carry it on. But wait, later in life, there actually was a boy born to Uncle James and Aunt Dotty. (James was the youngest of the 4 Rogers boys.) And then they had another girl as well.  That just beat all!

And they named the boy after the first Rogers who came to America, John Fitz Rogers. I hope my grandparents were satisfied in that.

I've enjoyed being part of the women's movement, from the 1960s to today. I would have missed this if I'd been born George...

But back to thinking of my life if I'd been male.

It would have meant wearing different clothes as a kid. I don't remember any knowledge of boys (besides my father) as I grew up. I was surrounded by girls who I played with. It wasn't until I was in high school that I started dating.

Would I have had my own personality if I were male? I wondered. I wouldn't have had the flirtatious girly attitude as a young woman, that's for sure. Make up and hair styles...oh I would not have missed that part of femininity at all. Would I have been an artist? I think so. But I wouldn't have looked for approval from parents and teachers all my young life...I hope.

I think I would have enjoyed sports more, and being comfortable in my own body. That's what I think men have physically.  I remember how amazed I was to have my first child, to see that my body as a woman could do such a miraculous thing as give another life birth.

Well, eventually I rolled over and figured out what I'd have for breakfast.

Today's (second, or third) quote:

Don't go back to sleep.

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Don't go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the
doorsill where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open.

Don't go back to sleep.

—Rumi