Saw a post on Facebook this morning. My nephew mentioned "John" and for a moment, I didn't know who he was referring to. John is my brother. His father. He calls his father by his name, which I knew, but it got me to thinking about how we show respect.
When my grand-nephew referred to my father (his great-grandfather) as "Charlie", there were some protests. How disrespectful! The brother I mentioned has seven kids, and I don't think any of them call him anything but "John". One of my sisters used to insist that her children call me "Aunt Jeanie" instead of just Jeanie.
I find it amusing and puzzling that people think titles are so important. (Not that they are technically titles, but that's another blog.) Is Grandmother respected more than Granny? Is Dad respected more than John? Would I be treated with more respect if I was Aunt Jeanie? I don't think so. I'd still be who and what I am, after all. God help us if we start throwing in all the steps and exes.
And how do we decide which ones to use? "Wife" and "Husband" as forms of address sound, at least to me, like ownership. So does "Daughter" but not "Son". Must be the male-dominated society I was raised in. What about the relationships that defy labeling, like the friend who is as good as family?
My minions (nieces and nephews) mostly refer to me as Jean, or Jeanie, but the one who holds me in such regard that he moved me in to help raise his son? "Fat". It's an in-joke, but to outsiders it surely sounds terrible.
I don't really have a point with this blog. I just want to share my musings and the cat isn't interested.
