The Younger Daughter was reminding me about how, when she's just accidentally burned herself and is hopping up and down in the kitchen, my instant response is 'Careful, that's hot!' Or when she's just tripped up a step, that's the time I choose to say, 'Watch yourself!' That's me. Eager to be helpful. Caring Parent of the Year. But it's instinctive, isn't it, to say something completely inadequate in the face of crisis? It's a strange feature of the way we communicate sympathy. What about the following situations ... When someone's fallen over and is lying flat on their face, we say: 'Oh, no, are you o kay ?' When someone's just set off down the road to the shops, then lets themselves back in five minutes later, cursing and stomping, we say: 'Did you forget something?' When we come across someone sobbing their hearts out .... ..... we say things like, 'Is something the matter?' To the
If you ever considered starting another blog, then maybe, 'The Flip-side of Fran'?
ReplyDeleteYes, Martin - the flip-side of flippant Fran. I do like a bit of affliperation.
ReplyDeleteGood words.
ReplyDeleteThe human herd gets it's priorities very wrong sometimes.
You are ace!
ReplyDeleteOn my way over there to take a look.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Charlotte. I like your phrase 'the human herd'. Says it all!
ReplyDeleteBB - thank you kindly. I value your opinion.
Alan - have a good journey!
That's lovely, Fran. Says it all, really. In this week's Times there was a two-page spread of the terrible famine, followed by a page devoted to the woman (who earns millions herself) who "needs" $65,000 dollars a month in her divorce settlement for chauffeurs for her one child, manicures, pedicures, clothes...It makes you weep.
ReplyDeleteYes... progress is moot point when people are still starving due to abject poverty.
ReplyDeleteOff to check it out!
ReplyDelete