Yes, Midwives has been out forever. And it’s been sitting on my shelf (or moved in boxes) for almost that long. Vacation finally allowed me time to read it. It’s a great book. Very well written (as all the critics said). An engrossing storyline and good writing with a very interesting concept. Definitely read it if you get the chance. It brings up some interesting moral and ethical struggles. How does a family deal with the stress that comes from lies, untruth, or withholding information? How far do you go to protect someone you love (perhaps from themselves)?
It also brings up the question of vocation – our choices or lack thereof. Is vocation nurtured? Are we drawn to certain fields because of heredity?
I’ll take myself as a case in point. My biological father (with whom I had no contact until I was 19) and my mother are educational administrators. My first degree is in education – and I definitely have administrative skills. My next vocation, however, is as an Episcopal priest. And no recent family member that I know was a minister of any kind. (Though there is a rumor that the Pope that wouldn’t grant a divorce to King Henry VIII is a distant relative). Nature or nurture?
Posted by Heather Voss at December 8, 2004 10:30 AM