I received this as a hard copy of an email back in March 2004 and it has been lost by me in amongst the piles of who knows what, until now when I believe others should feel guilty and stupid like me. I know of numerous instances when I have been reminded of his death while reading the newspaper or watching television on far too many occasions. I know I’m not alone!
“Today (I’ll let you put your own date on this) we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, by the name of Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.
No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valued lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn’t always fair.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids are in charge).
His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, teens suspended from school for using mouth wash after lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student only worsened his condition.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after athletes and CEO’s salaries increased to between 9 thousand and 90 thousand dollars per hour, and a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, spilled it in her lap, and was awarded a huge settlement for simply being stupid.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife Discretion, his daughter Responsibility and his son Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers, My Rights and Ima Whiner.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.”
Would you have attended his funeral? I somehow doubt it. But if you have experienced a slight twinge and you nodded (or shook) your head at least once, then do something about it – resist the senseless stuff of life.
Ooh you are awful - but I like you! 