It troubles me that people speak about writing for money as ugly and distasteful.

I compromised my ability to tell my story, at the most basic level.

I believed my story would be helpful to young women my daughter's age, who are still in the process of forming themselves as women, and in need of encouragement to remain true to themselves.

For 25 years, I did take my responsibilities as a pleaser of others sufficiently seriously.

It's sad but true that if you focus your attention on housework and meal preparation and diapers, raising children does start to look like drudgery pretty quickly. On the other hand, if you see yourself as nothing less than your child's nurturer, role model, teacher, spiritual guide, and mentor, your days take on a very different cast.

Imagine if you succeeded in making the world perfect for your children what a shock the rest of life would be for them.

My job is writing. I get paid to do it. When was the last time you heard someone challenge a doctor for making money off of cancer?