— Relationships —

AN OBITUARY PRINTED IN THE LONDON TIMES

PHOTOGRAPH BY FRANK GLICK
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“Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.

No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

– Knowing when to come in out of the rain;

– Why the early bird gets the worm;

– Life isn’t always fair;

– And maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student, but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death,

-by his parents, Truth and Trust,

-by his wife, Discretion,

-by his daughter, Responsibility,

-and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers,

– I Know My Rights

– I Want It Now

– Someone Else Is To Blame

– I’m A Victim

– Pay me for Doing Nothing

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.


4 Comments

  • Taste of France May 20, 2018 at 2:20 am

    Thank you for this. It’s one to share.

    • Brenda Coffee May 21, 2018 at 3:16 pm

      I appreciate you!! Thanks so much, Brenda

  • Allison May 20, 2018 at 11:01 am

    Please do look up the case of the woman who sued about the coffee. It may not have been as simple as the powerful corporations made it out to be.

    Also, in many cases if a parent finds out that their daughter is pregnant, that daughter’s safety is at risk. Both seeking permission to administer medication and letting a teenager decide if they will tell their parents about a pregnancy stem from the same motivation – the safety of the child.

    I appreciate the need for a balance, and for people to use common sense, but I feel that lists like this can be a facile misrepresentation of complex issues.

    If you prefer not to publish this comment, I understand, but I have read and appreciated many articles on your blog, and I wanted to share how some of your readers might feel.

    • Brenda Coffee May 21, 2018 at 3:08 pm

      Hi Allison, I appreciate your comment so very much! Your points are well taken. Overall this piece from the London Times makes a valid conceptual point in that so much of the way we think through issues and respond to them have changed since we were kids. I posted it because in the bigger picture, it gave me pause for thought. Thank you again for your awesome comment, Brenda

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