Kids and HIMYM

I have thoughts about this weeks How I Met Your Mother, because it was actually kind of thinky!  And relevant to my interests.

Robin is a career-minded woman who doesn't want kids.  She thinks she is pregnant, then finds out the exact opposite is true--she can never have kids.  She then has a mini-breakdown.

I was watching with squint-eyes, because I hate the idea that all women, no matter how anti-baby, will inevitably fall under the sway of babypower.  I myself am not hugely baby-centric.  I joke about not wanting kids, but really, I figure it'll happen.  In fact, if we have an honest conversation, I will tell you I want either zero or a bunch.  And I've said before that if it ended up that I were unable to have kids, I would be okay with that (mainly because of my desire to adopt regardless).

I still feel those things, I think.  But HIMYM opened me up to....I dunno.  More feelings?  What I mean is, I really liked how they handled it!  Robin's reaction rang true when she said there is a difference between not wanting something and having that something not even be a possibility.  I get that.  There's a bit of selfishness, of wanting control.  There's also some honesty, that somewhere deep down she liked the idea of maybe having a kid or two.

I really liked her monologue about not having kids meaning she could travel and work and not be bogged down by anything because my face was like, "YOU ARE SPEAKING MY BRAIN."  And in the end, the voiceover tells us she did go on to do great things, travel awesome places, and fulfill life goals.

But that doesn't discount the tragedy.

I don't know how much sense I'm making.  This all just felt like it was related to my brainspace, and I came away thinking that if I cannot have kids....I'll be sad.  I can admit that.  It would suck to be unable to have kids.  But if that happens, my life is not over.  My usefulness is not over.  I can still be awesome and do awesome things.

I always knew my life wouldn't be over.  I didn't think I'd grieve.

Look at me, growing and learning because of a sitcom.