When my sister decided to marry a foreign citizen and left a communist, tyrannical one-man ruled Romania, I did not feel privileged. Only now, after more than 50 years, I realized that this was the great privilege. I was able to be myself in a different, silent way, because society already put me in a different category. And I was able to try interesting formulas to preserve my SELF without being "discovered and invaded". After 1990, I traveled a lot and had the opportunity to choose where to be in my next future. The fact that I stayed in Romania was my choice, regardless of the motivation, it was my choice. And I decided to change my job and field drastically. Three times. It made me feel alive being prone to professional wandering. Interesting.
Ironically, I ended up doing exactly what I avoided in the beginning: to teach. I had used to think about myself that wasn’t touched by that divine grace necessary for a good, empathetic teacher. I still think the same, but I feel that something, somehow has changed radically in my relationship with a student. It is a biunivocal relationship, a mutual gain from a privileged relationship.
And thus I closed the circle, an older and a wiser person. Never a sadder.
Thank you Mioara, for sharing your experience so honestly! It also reinforces my message, that real privilege is earned, it comes at a price. But it fulfills us.
When my sister decided to marry a foreign citizen and left a communist, tyrannical one-man ruled Romania, I did not feel privileged. Only now, after more than 50 years, I realized that this was the great privilege. I was able to be myself in a different, silent way, because society already put me in a different category. And I was able to try interesting formulas to preserve my SELF without being "discovered and invaded". After 1990, I traveled a lot and had the opportunity to choose where to be in my next future. The fact that I stayed in Romania was my choice, regardless of the motivation, it was my choice. And I decided to change my job and field drastically. Three times. It made me feel alive being prone to professional wandering. Interesting.
Ironically, I ended up doing exactly what I avoided in the beginning: to teach. I had used to think about myself that wasn’t touched by that divine grace necessary for a good, empathetic teacher. I still think the same, but I feel that something, somehow has changed radically in my relationship with a student. It is a biunivocal relationship, a mutual gain from a privileged relationship.
And thus I closed the circle, an older and a wiser person. Never a sadder.
Thank you Mioara, for sharing your experience so honestly! It also reinforces my message, that real privilege is earned, it comes at a price. But it fulfills us.
love this piece. My two favorite lines:
Now I feel privileged for being different.”
I tidied up and started l listening to her.
This was a very interesting and very real-sounding piece. Well done!
Thanks so much, Jill!