Context

Since I home school my children, I am learning some history lessons over again. Actually, I think some of them I'm learning for the first time. Recently in Roman history, for example, I learned the historical context of Jesus' birth. Did you know he was born during a time of peace known as the Pax Romana? I didn't even though I've been in church my whole life.

Context is everything. It's always been important to me that those around me get to know me and my story, not just that I got pregnant in high school. Know what I mean?

Now it's one thing to be speaking to a group of anonymous people. Nothing you can do there. It's like opening yourself up and hoping no one mortally wounds you.

But for personal friends, I feel like I protect myself by letting them get to know me while learning about my story. That while the context of my situation doesn't offer any kind of justification, it does offer more of an understanding than simple facts can provide.

While it may sound nutty, I still have sensitivity surrounding this part of my life and maybe, just maybe, I want others to tread carefully while they are gathering facts and forming an opinion. Are you open to sharing your story or do you wait for them to get to know you better?

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