🤧 Be mindful

     Three incidences have caught my attention recently. I’m going to tell you about each because I wonder if they strike you in the same way they did me.

     I’ll give you the background of the first and ask that you hold on to it until the end of this rambling. My husband is sick. At first we thought it was just allergies because it was just a runny nose and cough. He didn’t hurt and have a temperature (reference to a commercial of many, many, many years ago.) The cough and runny nose got worse at night. It Is allergy season after all; the wind has been blowing more than usual and daytime temperatures continue to go up and down weekly. He’s still doesn’t have a temperature. We have ruled out COVID, RSV and flu. So, it is more than likely just a cold. We also ruled in “just a cold” because I have developed symptoms as well. Bugger… We do everything together (including this, it seems) although my husband has gone alone to the grocery store a couple of times to pick up last minute items. He also went out to lunch with a friend. Three days later his symptoms started. Connection? Hmmm… so now hold on to the beginning of this scenario until the end.

     Second incidences came when we were watching television. The first happened when we were watching a late night talk show. The guests were three cast members of a current Broadway show, two men and a woman. The host introduced them (males first, female last) then they walked out together. The host hugged the first man, shook hands with the second one and gave one of those weak handshakes to the female who admittedly was a somewhat large woman and she was wearing heels. What was notable to me was the host didn’t introduce the female first then the men and he didn’t offer to help the woman up the couple of stairs to the platform where his desk and they were expected to sit. Now maybe the female guest told the host she wouldn’t need help up the stairs but he didn’t even offer his hand. (Neither did her co-stars, for that matter.) Is chivalry completely dead? Am I nuts or was he (they) wrong. Doesn’t etiquette require introducing the  woman first? Have we come so far that treating people with respect has gone completely awry? Do we not hold doors, chairs or offer a helping hand anymore? What is wrong with us? Anyway, the whole thing rubbed me the wrong way.

     Third moment came during one of my favorite American shows, Bosch. I’m not going into the plot or story line of this particular episode—no spoilers. It’s enough to say Harry, main character Harry Bosch, has to get on a helicopter to search for his daughter. His female co-star is going with him. They both walk up to the copter, rotors whirling and open the door. I thought he was going to get in first and slide over. Nope. He opened the door, helped his co-star in, shut the door and walked around to the other side of the plane. A gentleman. Didn’t make her slide over, didn’t leave her to struggle with the door alone. He helped her in, first! That’s my Harry. So civility isn’t completely dead, yet. At least on TV anyway. Even so we don’t see people acting in a civilized manner as often as we should. Maybe if we did more people would realize it is the proper way to behave.

     Now back to my first moment. We don’t know, and probably won’t, where or how we got our colds. Mo definitely was exposed first and brought it home to me. Was his friend sick when they met for lunch? Was a delivery person, waiter at a restaurant, someone at the grocery store or doctor’s office sick? Did they know they were sick, suspect they were or did they just not care? RSV presents as a cold but it can lead to COPD or even congestive heart failure which can prove fatal. What does this say about our society when people who are sick feel they have no alternative but to go to work sick. When “missing out” on a social engagement means more than not exposing a family member or friend to whatever illness is percolating in your body. For years we had people come to our home for consultations with my husband. They often came sick but always claimed it was just allergies. I had more sick down time with those “allergies”. It was difficult because we didn’t have health insurance at the time. We had to get educated on all the OTC meds so we could “doctor” ourselves. I’m sure that’s why I got pneumonia with a partial lung collapse.

     Anyway, always try to show respect for others. Be kind to others. Be mindful of others. We used to be taught manners; at the least we should know what manners are. Use them because when you don’t, the bad impression left behind is yours. If you are sick or even think you might be, stay home. I know I couldn’t live with myself if I was responsible for someone getting sick, or worse, dying because I just couldn’t miss out. A cold is still just a cold but it can make you feel miserable. I don’t think misery really loves company as much as the miserable want company to commiserate with them about their misery. Did I say that right? Get boosted, get vaccinated, drink plenty of fluids, rest but most importantly, keep that sense of humor, it’s critical (Thanks Mr. Mom).