Saturday, August 22, 2009

Things that are still taboo...

Years ago when I was just a little Lass there were things that we were told to never discuss in public, in other words, considered taboo.
Now let’s examine the meaning of the word, taboo: forbidden to profane use or contact because of what are held to be dangerous supernatural powers; banned on grounds of morality or taste - the subject is taboo, according to Merriam Webster.

Now I am an older person with admittedly a mouth that at times I believe has a mind of its own. Not good I am told quite often.

Today, it seems that the things that were once taboo are now just daily conversational allowances and presumed OK. Years ago we were all told not to discuss family personal business or sex or religion, finances, how much money you made or didn’t, or if their were a mentally ill person in the family; I could go on and on but you get the point. Most things were kept private, and considered nobody else’s business to know about.
Even common ailments of chronic disease were also not discussed, as well as even a miss-carriage of a loving hopeful pregnancy. These things are fortunately mostly all discussed today and with the intelligence and forethought that we are all in this world together and feel that no one should ever have to suffer alone, and through commonality we can support one another.

Thank goodness for that way of thinking, life is too short for us to think that our problems have never ever happened to anyone else!
And that’s another thing…many topics I have found are still under that umbrella of not to be discussed…hmm… death is the biggest one that I take issue with, but it drives me crazy that people think they are immortal and that the fact that all of our lives will eventually come to an end is not in their vocabulary, and therefore should never be discussed under any circumstances at all! The oddest ones who hate to discuss death are the ones who profess to be atheist, but I suppose that does make sense since they truly do not believe in a better place to go to or a possible after-life. I suppose that is why it scares them so much to even mention it! I guess that is a true atheist’s way of thinking.

I do think of death when I think of my parents, because guess what… they died! I was 31 for my Mom and 35 when my Dad went, and rather traumatic at those so-called mature ages. And I do think of them daily because I miss them both, some days more than others, so there you go people!

Nothing too sinister here, this past October I also found out that my niece passed away, she was way too young and my brother also passed away, and so to me, yeah I do think about it, but that is why.
Logically, death will happen to all of us; simplistically put: you live then you die.

Hubby gets angry and upset when I tell him to call his Mom, because you never know, after all the woman is 88 and a half! If lucky she will be 89 in January. He thinks I am being too morbid, and I tell him he’s lucky he still has his Mom, so call her!

Somethings are still uncomfortable to discuss; like people’s sexual orientation and I respect that not to bring up unless they do first, after all it’s none of my business, but I am not shocked by any of it, by now I have heard it all.

Religion is still a touchy subject and that’s why I do not try to discuss it with too many people, but it at times makes me sad that I can’t say how I do feel, because so many feel so strongly about their own religious beliefs I profess to not want to discuss my own. Admitting who I truly am has backfired many a time, and consequently resulted in my own very hurt feelings.

So much is good about the times we now live in, not the foreclosures, joblessness or the economy, but the fact that we can discuss most of it all openly with friends, family and neighbors and not be told it’s TABOO!

I bid you all a good night and to all take care, be safe, and count those blessings and I will too!

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