Nine Simple Patterns for Complicated Women by Mary Rechner

I normally really like short stories, when I'm ready for short stories. Usually after an epic novel that weighs more than my car. At that time, carrying around a slim volume of short stories, and reading in chunks, is a delight (and my arms get a rest!).

I dove into into volume and immediately was unsure if I wanted to continue. The writing was good, the perspective was great, the voice changed with each story and it was interesting. So, what's your problem, Amanda?? I couldn't relate. Every story was wife/mother/husband/kids. As a never-married, no-children woman, I had no one to side with or to understand. I was left thinking, "Do women really get that resentful in their marriage? With their children?"

THEN I got it. Some of it. Being a woman is a complicated way to live. I somewhat feel for men trying to understand us when, frankly, we can confuse and perplex ourselves. I am the woman in the dentist chair running a billion worries through her mind, all in the span of one visit. My worries may not include husbands or kids, but they are worries. Going alone into this world is just as difficult sometimes.

I get resentful of people in my life, for reasons I've actually never understood. The feeling goes away pretty quick but it happens. Relationships are complicated, friendships are hard, testing the waters to try something completely new to you is just terrifying at times.

I do think a woman who is/was a wife/mother would get a bit more from this than I did but I appreciated the writing and am curious to check out more of Rechner's work.