The first instinctive knowing came in recognizing mother as Ma, the one who was soft and nurturing, who provided warmth, food, cleaning, and companionship. The second instinctive knowing came in recognizing father as Dee, the one who was strong and fearless, who provided for us all - the leader, the law, ultimate protector. In the first knowing, one also became aware of the difference in the sexes, seeing one posed against the other and knowing a certain order to things because of those differences. In my world then, it was understood that Ma stayed around to provide for me all the time, and that Dee went out to slay the dragon and bring it home for us all to feed upon. There was no one better parent to be; both mother and father each had a role to play. It just so happened, however, that in my world, Ma always seemed to be pretty close at hand.

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