Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Premarital sex and chain letters?

A blogger friend and fellow grandmother recently included my blog as one of four she selected to recognize on her blog. Thank you Kathy! Kathy, also known as MiMi to her grandchildren, blogs at MiMi’s Mini Tales.

There are a few rules to the award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award to at least 4 fellow bloggers who inspire you.
4. Let them know about the award.

I enjoy Mimi’s accounts of her grandchildren’s antics and development, and I appreciate so much her recognition. But I am someone who usually breaks the chain in any pass-along Internet activities, whether via blog, email or social networking site. So instead of passing along the honor, here is my excuse:

It’s my parents’ fault.

Yes, parents can ingrain certain principles firmly in your brain cells by frequent repetition and the reinforcement of living proof. “Living proof” could also be considered gossip, and it always really grabbed my attention. As a child I relished living proof, whether I was supposed to hear it or not, and living proof evidently held my interest long enough for those short life-lessons to take root.

You know the ones. Every mother has an inexhaustible store. One I especially love is from a favorite movie, Christmas Story. The recurring words were in response to the protagonist’s desire for a BB gun, with Santa issuing the killing blow to his Christmas-present hopes: “Kid, you’ll shoot your eye out!”

Some of these pithy principles you follow; some you don’t; some incite rebellion; but the words remain embedded, ready to bubble up without warning. The three that were stamped indelibly at the top of the list in my growing up years:

No alcohol or tobacco;
No premarital sex; and
No chain letters.

Yes, that is correct. Chain letters were right up there in my mind with premarital sex. My dad was a letter carrier, and little Linda took his admonitions to heart. As an adult I just can’t bring myself to do the chain thing and disappoint my daddy. Well, that and the fact that I am inherently lazy!

3 comments:

  1. LOL, I like this post. I don't do alcohol, tobacco, or chain letters either. Too late to worry about premarital sex after 38 years of marriage :) Thanks for accepting the award, you deserve it. I like your blog. Thanks for the "shout out".

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  2. Yup I guess that you are right. Chain letters were forbidden for me too and I just can't bring myself to do them still.
    Words are powerful aren't they?

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  3. Funny how it was a No No in my upbringing too...... wonder where it originated.

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