Summary

The author begins this section with commentary on the happiness she felt spending time with Harry in the early days of their relationship, at the same time questioning whether society’s emphasis on reaching for, and holding onto, happiness is the best way to experience life. She then reflects on a real-example of a couple (poet George Oppen and the woman who became his wife, Mary Colby) who felt commitment, love, and connection enough to sustain a relationship without marriage, but who chose to get married in order to be legally safe and secure. She then explores the impact of the writings of D.W. Winnicott on her perceptions of, and choices around, being a parent.

This section continues with a contemplation of both what it means to be a stepparent, and the beginnings of the author’s attempts to be a...