One of major advantages of getting old or older is that you have less to worry about your image. If you want to wear plaids and checks together, that’s ok with me. If you want to eat your dessert before your salad, have at it. Do whatever it is that makes you happy. You are on the downslope of life.

Enjoy.

But even though you are accepting changes that are occurring all around you, there are some fundamental principles that will be very hard for you to adapt to in your daily lives.

So here I am after some 28,000+ days on this planet alive and I am told that from now on I have to change the way I address people in the following manner:

Mom, Dad, parents are now to be referred to as ‘grown-ups, folks, family or guardians.’

Instead of being Great Grand Parents, we could be referred to as the “Biological Parental Units of the Biological Parental Units of my Biological Parental Units.” Sure it would take a little longer to say than “My Great Grandpa and Grandma” but no one’s feelings would be hurt.

Instead of saying, “My Mom fixed me a big breakfast of bacon and eggs,” the child could say; “My domestic parental unit for my initial food intake of the day prepared for me mass quantities of burned swine flesh and chicken embryos

When it comes to gender, it is recommended that teachers not address their students as “boys and girls,” “guys,” “ladies and gentlemen,” but GENDER-NEUTRAL such as “people,” “folks,” “friends,” “readers,” or even “mathematicians.” Adults are encouraged to “take gender our of text where it’s unnecessary” when reading books to children. For example, they can say “child,” “person,” or “character,” instead of “the boy or the girl on this page.”.

I’m sorry to report to you that at this point of time in my life I am just too set in my ways to start changing the way I address people I have known all of my life. Not going to happen.

This so called ‘cancel culture’ is a complete set of nonsense as far as I am concerned. I will remain respectful of other people and their desires if I am asked, but I will not go out of my way unless asked.

I will still open doors for females and any other person who needs a hand. I don’t see this as demeaning in any way shape or form. I just see it as common human courtesy and trying to help others. If you fall down, I will try to help you up. If your car is broken down, I will ask if you need help. When you come to my office to deliver something, I will ask you if you want a bottle of water. I do think this makes me ‘superior’ to you or to imply that you can’t afford to buy your own water. It just seems like the thing to do to help one another.

I feel that we are losing our sense of humor towards one another as well as wearing our feelings on our shoulders. We seem to be living in an age where everyone is reading between the lines at anything we say to one another.

All of us could choose to be a victim of something if we wanted to do so. And as a wise fellow told me a few weeks ago…’everyone is fighting a battle for which you have no clue in one way or another.’

Looking back on the wrongs and injustices in our history will do none of us any good unless we use our experiences to correct the wrongs going forward. Our attention should be made to treat one another as humans and with mutual respect rather than with disgust or suspicion.

Life is too short and passes entirely too quickly to be walking around on egg shells each and every day hoping you don’t make someone mad about something. It matters not one bit what you say as I guarantee you it will make someone mad, if you look long enough. If you comment about the rain, someone who had a wedding or picnic planned is going to upset over the fact you liked the rain.

Politics and religion? Don’t even go there, those are the mine fields of our society and are bound to get you in trouble in a short period of time.

As I said earlier, I will try and not offend anyone on purpose, but I will not change the majority of my life long pronouns to satisfy a small part of our society.

That’s what we call ‘free speech’ in this country.

I hope and pray it lasts.

See you next week .

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