RELATIONSHIP AWARENESS: KNOW WHO YOU’RE TALKING TO

‘Relationship awareness’ sounds like a warning? Like a highway sign that says, “BUMPS?”

If it doesn’t sound like a warning, maybe you’re not paying attention.

Now is a good time to start, but start the right way.

Relationship:

the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected.

Or:

the state of being connected by blood or marriage.

And finally:

the way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave toward each other.

I googled ‘relationship’ then copied and pasted from the top unattributed entry before taking a closer look and finding this:

Google’s English dictionary is provided by Oxford Languages.

Oxford Languages is the world’s leading dictionary publisher, with over 150 years of experience creating and delivering authoritative dictionaries globally in more than 50 languages.

Oxford’s English dictionaries are widely regarded as the world’s most authoritative sources on current English.

Let’s say Oxford’s English dictionaries have relationship awareness with words like relationship.

That should settle the definition of relationship for people without a language vendetta against English dictionaries. Let’s move on to:

Relationship Awareness On Facebook

I recently saw an image of a daughter talking about the good things her father brings to the granddad game.

As a newly minted granddad myself this past year, I was moved by the image of daughter and father bonding over her kids. Moved, I tell you. Not to tears, but moved to comment.

What moved me was all the harsh talk about the man. His name was Bill Clinton. Yes, that one.

Others saw the image as an invitation to pile on his media image with a load of mean and nasty bile. Is there any other kind?

I added this to the discourse:

“This is a post about a daughter talking about her dad as a granddad. That’s all it’s supposed to be, not an open door for weak comments. For more clarity check the daughter’s accomplishments before dredging up misguided acrimony.“

While not my favorite family, I do appreciate the granddad part.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Chelsea Clinton at age forty-one, married since 2010 with three kids, knows about grandparents. And she championed her dad’s granddad work.

I like kids who work it out with parents. From the scroll of stink on comments, I was the only one who stayed on topic when the subject was granddadding.

Does it mean everyone unloading on a relationship post are puss-filled bags of meat raised by rotten relatives? Based on their language use, something is off.

Living In This World With A Better Relationship Attitude

I tip my hat, even salute, every man asked by his wife to do some girly thing, go some girly place, and their ability to say, “No.”

That’s their final word, and it sticks. Their “No” is a real no.

I don’t get it, but first about the ‘girly’ part.

My wife couldn’t get another woman to go with her to the local holiday fair, so I went instead.

Kinton Grange Holiday Faire

19015 SW Scholls Ferry Rd, Beaverton, OR

There were young women, old women, and every age in between with no other man in sight.

Later the same day we saw a play. My wife and her mother used to be live theater buddies before her mom passed. Now I go.

I’ve yet to see anyone who looks like I think I look: engaged, excited, and looking forward to the show. Most of the men look like they’ve been dragged to the theater against their will.

They obviously need ACTING lessons from a master thespian.

I, on the other hand, put my best husband foot forward. Why?

You’ve heard that if you’re the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room?

The same goes for the girly thing. I want to be in the room dominated by female inspiration.

If I’m in a room dominated by male inspiration, then I’m in the wrong room.

After sports locker rooms, army barracks, and highway rest stops from the Canadian border to Mexico on the west coast, I’ve got one thing to say:

“Yes honey, I’d love to return things at the mall with you. Let’s get a salad at Nordstrom’s too?”