One thing I also get from reading the FIAR boards is a peek into women's lives across the country who are so different from me in some respects (their evangelical religions and super conservative politics) and yet so much the same in others (homemakers, traditional families, larger families).  I've discussed before that I like to read what they write to understand their feelings about gun control or abortion-and it does definitely give me a better perspective.  What I also get, if I'm being totally honest, is deep gratitude for what I have.  I live a very comfortable life.  We are not living paycheck to paycheck.  If I want a new top, or E wants a test prep book, or it's the school book fair, or A is collecting baseball cards right now-we just buy it.  We go out for meals, we go on wonderful vacations, we entertain. We have older cars-but that's by choice not necessity.  If there are bills for fixing the cars or the house or medical expenses, we can pay them.  Our health, thank God, is good.  One of the women has a son (not sure of his diagnosis) but he's completely wheel chair bound.  There's another woman whose husband lost his job, so they're having to move 200 miles away to live with her parents, and assist her mom who has MS.   There's an older couple (and he has dementia) who live rent free in a condo owned by a friend who has a terminal illness-so she worries what will become of them.  Should I feel guilty about being a voyeur?  I don't share anything on the boards-it seems disingenuous when we don't homeschool anymore.  But I keep reading-I feel like I "know" them and I'm curious about other people's lives and motivations.  I think it's helped to make me less judgmental, and more understanding.