Which Hat Fit Me Best?

Friday is a day off from helping care for my grandson, so I have time to tackle more of Janet's excellent questions.

You state in your blog that, professionally, you have worn several different "hats." Which hat fit you best and why?

I have been pondering this question for a month and still haven't worked out a satisfactory answer. The hats that fitted me best are mother and grandmother, which my young feminist self never would have anticipated or believed. I felt my intellect and my emotions were in harmony.

Second, would be the 12 years I was a La Leche League Leader. When I was pregnant with Anne, I had actually considered not breastfeeding because I was still a fanatic about equal father/mother parenting. I found breastfeeding incredibly fulfilling; I admit to feeling pangs of jealousy watching young mothers nurse now. Helping other mothers learn to enjoy nursing, was deeply rewarding.

None of the professional hats have been an entirely satisfactory fit. My mood swings played a significant role in these disappointments. When I dropped out of grad school, I wanted to be a journalist, but found I lacked the confidence and assertiveness to pursue it. Book publishing was a substitute. Looking back, my job was better than I appreciated at the time; after only 18 months, I was promoted to a very responsible position. I was an editing supervisor, which meant dealing with dozens of copy editors, proofreaders, indexers. I had relatively little author contact and no major influence on the shaping of the books or what books we published.

I decided to go to law school, pursuing the fantasy of being a

I am postponing talking about the professional hats of editor, librarian, and social worker.