Common. It’s a word I will use with more caution—more sparingly—from today forward. By itself, it is what it is: widespread, general, ordinary; usual, familiar. But when paired with some of my favorite notions, its identity changes to something larger, more noble.
Sense. Courtesy. Knowledge.
I must reevaluate what these terms mean and how broad a scope I can use to ASSUME what is a shared cultural definition. Because I assure you, friends—these ideas aren’t commonplace any longer.
I don’t see myself as the grumpy old neighbor hollering and waving my cane at the whippersnappers that tromp my begonias on their way to the ice cream truck. I’m the grown, reasonable man that gets disappointed by holding people, their actions, behavior, and their… ignorance overcome and/or educated… to what has proven to be an unreasonable standard. And it seems the person who gets the worst of all this… is me. I pay for it in frustration, shock, hurt, and often in being the very large, very squishy target of takers and fakers.
I appreciate that folks enjoy the light I try to shine in the world, but I’m here to tell you—the shadow has a place in my heart, too. And today it feels a little dimmer, cooler to know that what I considered to be the minimum, the baseline, is changing. I am taking off the pink glasses in order to more clearly see the worms in my garden. But I’m still taking time to smell the roses.
Love y’all.