Common Sense 1

     Every once in a while, my Dad would say that I was the child with no common sense. At first I took silent issue with the comment because any child of his would have to be brilliant in every way! But over the course of my long life and the reflections that come from putting personal stories together and scouring my mind for memories – certain examples of what Dad was talking about do come to mind.

     The earliest instance of what some might not so generously refer to as a lack of common sense, or what I would say merely typifies my special logic- is an anecdote from my Mom. I was about toddler age. At the lunch table one day I was whining about the food I had been given to eat. Mom, being a Mom, told me that I had to eat. And me, being me, did not eat.

     Then Mom made her tactical error, but how could she have known? She told me that if I did not eat my lunch, I would have to sit at the table until dinner.

     To me, that was quite acceptable.

     And so I sat at the table, much to Mom's mortification, until Dad came home and they both sat down to dinner, with me.

the real me

     When I heard the story from Mom years later, she was still mystified that I could have emboldened myself to such disobedience. But I understood my younger self – I am sure I did not feel like I was being stubborn or defiant – I merely thought I was being offered a do-able alternative. Why would a parent be upset about that?

     Oh, I guess that's what Dad meant.

7 20150107 Common Sense 1