Eat, Pray, Love

Watched the movie tonight. I can't decide if I liked Julia Roberts' character or not. There is one scene that hit a little too close to home. Her husband is telling her that he wasn't even given a chance and she responds that she did say things but that he just didn't hear her. Is that what my ex feels like? The character also says that he understands that she wants to find herself but why can't she do it within the confines of their marriage. It's almost word for word, what I've thought/said to the ex. But when it was said by Billy Crudup's character in the movie, it sounded whiney and pathetic. Is that because it is whiney and pathetic or because it was a man saying those words?

I'd love to go on year long journey to find myself and a new love o' my life but I have three kids. Who will take care of them? The challenge is in finding my "balance" without having to sacrifice the well-being of my children. Besides which, I'd miss them like crazy. They are part of me, literally and figuratively. I'm not just Anita anymore. I am Mommy.

I read an interview that Jon Stewart did with Oprah a few years ago and she asks him the following:

Oprah: What kind of daddy do you want to be?

Jon: The kind that stays. The kind who doesn't say to a 9-year-old kid, "This doesn't mean your mother and I don't love you," as he's heading out the door.

Jon gets it because in a way it DOES mean, I don't love you. It says, "My happiness is more important than anything else in this world, even you." How is that love? Ex left saying that he wasn't happy and couldn't be a good father because he wasn't happy. I get that. But he's happy now and he thinks he's a good father now? I did the math tonight. Over a two week period, he will see the kids for 52 hours out of 336 possible. Granted, between school and sleep, there isn't a whole lot of time left to spend together but seriously. Does he really think he gets to put in quality parenting time when he sees them only 15% of the time? What sort of influence does he hope to have on the children via Wednesday night dinners and alternating weekends?