Revisiting the good aunt

I’m heading into a month of good aunt activities: graduations, a wedding, visits with family and friends whom I also consider family. The amount of travel is dizzying, and I’m still trying to catch up from having been sick off and on for several weeks. But in the midst of it all, I’m thinking and writing a lot about the good aunt.

My latest writing project is an expansion of the Good Aunt series from 2012. I have been blessed to interview some wonderful women along the way, hearing about their paths to childlessness and uncovering their struggles and joys that have led them to flourishing lives.

The topic of childlessness is no less charged than it used to be, but I am seeing more conversation around the topic in mainstream media. Where I’m not hearing as much is within the Christian community, and I’d like for that to change. (Well, Pope Francis broke his silence recently—declaring childless couples selfish—but that requires its own response another time.)

The church’s silence can be supportive or condemning, and it can be hard to tell which until an issue comes to the surface. This silence makes me want to have a louder conversation about childlessness, both within the Christian community and the broader culture.

This is a subject worth delving into, worth understanding better. Women and men choosing childlessness need the telling of our stories. We need the ears and the voice of the church. We need a better response than silence or a patronizing label calling us selfish.

Whether you have children or don’t, if there’s something you hope I’ll address in this project, I’d love to hear from you. The brilliant, amazing women I’ve been interviewing may just have the response you’ve been waiting to read.

Simply comment below, contact me by email, send me a tweet (use #goodaunt) or post on my Facebook page. Let’s keep the conversation going.

1 thought on “Revisiting the good aunt

  1. So happy that you are getting back to this topic. All voices and stories need to be listened to with compassion and grace. I truly look forward to this work of yours. And many times people have children for “selfish” reasons. I like much about this pope, but I hope you will respond to this from your perspective.

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