Old arguements

So I got attacked today. Don't worry I'm fine. I wasn't attacked physically just verbally. Although sometimes I'm not sure which hurts more.  This one wasn't anything I found too terrible and now looking back I can see it as funny. At the time it got my blood boiling. 

One of the older women at work and I started talking this afternoon about family. I had asked how her husband was doing since I know he has cancer. She was asking me about my husband and of course that got around to children. Now my office is not a very chatty place. I have people that I work side by side with who have no idea about each others home lives. People who have worked together 15 years ask questions like "how many children do you have again?" or "are you married". It is just a strange atmosphere. 

So this question was nothing surprising. What was surprising was her reaction to my statement that I didn't have any children. That tends to be my standard answer for strangers asking that question. Most don't push and I avoid a confrontation. This woman looked at me and told me that I wasn't getting any younger and that I should start thinking about starting a family. I told her I already had a family, me and Jeff and the cat. But she insisted that I should be starting to think about children. And so I told her that I wasn't having any. 

First she didn't believe me. Then when I assured her she proceeding to give me every possible reason to have them that she could think of. For any childfree people out there, I could have called bingo four times during the conversation. Most of them I fended off easily. I have heard them all before. And then she told me I was selfish (heard it) and finally she told me that I was an ungrateful child. (that one is new) She told me that I should be thinking of my parents and how much they wanted grandchildren. Needless to say after all this I was glad when someone needed the copier and I was able to escape. 

Work tomorrow should be interesting. It will certainly be more talkative. I am not offended by my coworker but I guess I'm a little shocked. No matter how many people tell me that I am making a mistake I am still shocked by those who resort eventually to calling names. For the record I have only really had strangers who have attacked my choice. My friends and family have been incredibly supportive. I am just shocked at the strangers who feel it is necessary to change my mind about such an important decision. And not one I went into lightly. Strange.