"What Happened to Common Sense"
 

Eight days in a hospital gives one time to think about a lot of things. Your youth. Your family. Your friends. Peaks and valleys of your life. And, even recall what we referred to as common sense!

Lo and behold--- when I arrived back at my computer at home following that hospital stay,
among the more than three-hundred e-mails was one from my friend John Koonsman about common sense! It makes for good conversation even if it does not explain the absence lately of it's use.

We remember common sense helping us cultivate such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common sense at one time lived by simple, sound financial policies such as don't spend more than you earn. and reliable parenting strategies--adults, not children are in charge!

When did common sense begin to deteriorate? Could it have been when well-intentioned but over-bearing regulations were set in place? Remember the reports of a six-year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate? Remember the stories of teens being suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher was fired for reprimanding an unruly student.

Common sense lost more ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. Where was common sense when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin or sun lotion to a student but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Where was common sense when the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches
became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims. And, common sense took it on the chin when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home yet the burglar can sue you for assault!

The moment common sense gave up the will to live may well have been when that woman
spilled that hot cup of coffee in her lap at a drive-thru eatery, filed suit and was awarded a huge settlement.

Some say common sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife,
Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son Reason. He is also survived by three step-brothers: I know my rights; Someone else is to blame; and, I'm a victim!

That's my time, I do thank you for yours!