Double Standards

I know an 82 year-old woman who is critical of her 30 year old grandson because he lives with his girl friend. She speaks as if she is a of moral authority. In fact, she had an affair with a married man in the 1940’s and bore him a child. Having been subjected to much stigma and having had to leave town at the time of her pregnancy, one would have thought that she would be empathic to her grand son, but no, she is scathing.

I have slept with married women who are protective of their grown up sons’ and daughters’ morals. Occasionally, I wonder whether any of my children, all of whom are attached, have a lover. I will never know what my reaction will be till it happens, but I wonder. My son has a lovely wife. If he had lovers and his wife never found out, no harm would be done, but I just wonder if I would feel for her. I, too, contain contradictions, but no human, let alone a serial adulterer, is straightforward.