This post doesn't have to relate to Mother's Day, but since today IS Mother's Day, that's the direction it is going to go.
In all seriousness, this day is hard for some people. Some moms have lost children. Other moms have miscarried before even getting to hold their children. Some people have recently lost their mothers--or even if that loss isn't so recent, this day can still be painful. Some people have strained relationships with their mothers. Some women can't have children, either because they're single or because they just haven't been able to get pregnant. There are a lot of reasons why Mother's Day can be painful. I understand that.
I'm just not one of those single people who gets sad on Mother's Day. I happen to have an amazing mother who raised me well and is now one of my best friends. So I love having another excuse to just celebrate her. I also enjoy celebrating all the other remarkable moms I know. Mother's Day is a great idea. I know some people can't appreciate it the way I do because of different emotions is brings up, and I understand that perfectly, but I happen to like Mother's Day a lot. There are SO many amazing moms out there who deserve to be celebrated. That's how I see it.
But I've just so happened to see a lot of moms in the past few days...you know, because I work with kids. So I thought it would be nice to at least give these moms a sincere, "Happy Mother's Day" greeting. So over the course of the past four days, I've probably wished about 50 different women, "Happy Mother's Day," and I've noticed something funny that happens.
You see, it seems to be human nature to respond to a "Happy Wish Greeting" such as "Merry Christmas" with the words, "Thanks, you too!" (Unless the words "Merry Christmas" offend you, and then you might respond "Bah, Humbug!") So about 9 out of 10 times I've wished someone a "Happy Mother's Day," I've gotten the traditional, "Thanks, you too!"
Then comes the funny part.
About 0.3 seconds after the other person responds, "Thanks, you too," she realizes that I'm not a mom. Then comes the reaction. One of two things typically happens. 1) The mom just awkwardly smiles and walks away as fast as she can, or 2) The mom starts with the apologetic explanation that goes something like, "Oh, I realize you're not a mom, but...thank you so much for taking care of my kids. I hope you have a...truly great day...uh...bye."
I think both of these reactions are funny.
Rest assured, I'm not offended if someone wishes me "Happy Mother's Day." I'm not a mom, and I don't believe that there is any such thing as a "part time mom." But if there WERE such a thing as a "part time mom," I would be one. With that being said, I don't deserve to be wished "Happy Mother's Day," but I definitely don't mind if someone wishes me that anyway. For one thing, I do take care of a lot of kids and feel pretty motherly most of the time. In fact, some days, I feel like the old woman who lived in a shoe who had so many children she didn't know what to do (but then I go home from work and can sleep without someone waking me up in the middle of the night to get them a drink of water...so I'm NOT a mom). I would like to have kids of my own someday...I don't hide that fact. But if I never get to be a real mom, I'm okay with that, and celebrating Mother's Day doesn't make me feel bitter or sad at all. As my life is right now, I get to experience all those happy kid smiles and laughs without being the mom who has to sit up all night and worry when her kid has a fever. I can't complain. God's blessed me with a lot of kids, as per my request. I just didn't realize HOW He was going to grant that request...God has a sense of humor.
And another thing, I've already said that I see this day as a day to celebrate moms. I have an amazing mom. I know a lot of amazing moms. If someone wishes me a "Happy Mother's Day," I see that as an encouragement to celebrate the amazing moms I know.
But that awkward auto-reply and the resulting reactions...too funny. People are hilarious.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
Showing posts with label greetings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label greetings. Show all posts
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
SAA Ep. #10: Greetings on the Go
I recently got a new cell phone with one of those slide out mini qwerty (I love saying qwerty...I like taking every available opportunity to say the word qwerty) keyboards. I also finally joined the 21st century and got in on a texting plan, which has revolutionized my life. No more must I tell my friends (yes, even Socially Awkward Girl has friends...) not to text me because it costs extra money. I can now text to my heart's content and send my BFFs awkward messages about "lookn @ thongs @ store" when I really meant "lookn @ THINGS @ store" (for those who are texting impaired, that means "I am currently looking at things at the store for no apparent reason and decided to send you a text about it just because I can.")
I've only had the new (qwerty!) phone and text plan for less than a month, and already I've learned a few important things: 1) I really should turn my phone on silent when I don't want people to hear my silly "Monty Python" ringtone that loudly sounds every single time a person sends me a text. 2) Since I don't get much of a phone signal in my apartment, the most effective way to send a text from said apartment is to lift my phone over my head and carefully swing it back and forth whilst shouting "Whoo Whoo Whoo!" The shouting probably doesn't help, but it seems appropriate somehow. 3) I cannot walk and text (on my awesome qwerty keyboard) at the same time without endangering myself and others.
In fact, I've found that I have great difficulty walking and doing much of anything else. It seems my brain can only focus on one thing at a time. My brain can concentrate on moving my legs back and forth without causing them to trip over themselves (about 62% of the time...which is an improvement), but my brain can't handle any other activity at the same time.
I believe this is why I have such a hard time with greetings on the go. If you're from the South, you probably know what I'm talking about. I've heard that people up North just don't talk to other people...at least not to strangers. But down where I live, if you pass a stranger on the street, it's expected that you will at least acknowledge the other person's existence. Usually, this is done with a simple intercourse of phrases:
Person 1: "Hello. How are you?"
Person 2: "Well, hello to you as well. I am doing well. How are you?"
Person 1: "I am doing well, also. I just got a new phone with a qwerty keypad.
Person 2: (polite chuckle) "That is nice. Isn't this fine weather we are having?"
Person 1: "Yes. Yes it is. I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow."
Person 2: "Me too. I hope the remainder of your day is pleasant."
Person 1: "You too. Goodbye."
Person 2: "Bye, now."
Okay, so maybe most interactions are not that long, but most people (at least in the South) will at least say hi to another person they pass on the street.
However, my brain is only able to focus on walking. I find that when I pass people on the street, I try to say hi, but it doesn't work. I think the problem is, since my brain is working on keeping my legs moving, it doesn't have the capability to also control my speech. It tries to work out the phrasing for "Hello" and "How are you?" all at the same time. And if the other person speaks first and asks me how I am, then my brain is also trying to work out the phrase "I am fine." The end result is that I end up grunting out some kind of unintelligible combination of "Hello, how are you, I am fine." It usually sounds something like, "Hggggag." That's not a word. It doesn't even sound like a word. Qwerty, however, does sound like a word. An awesome, awesome word.
The funny thing is, even after hearing my nonsensical grunt, the other person always just keeps walking. It's probably because their brains are too busy trying to manipulate their legs that they don't have energy to even think about how ridiculous my response just sounded.
Sometimes strange things also happen when I come across people I know. For example, the other day I saw the pastor from my church in a store. I like my pastor, but I wouldn't say we're BFF qwerty texting buddies or anything. Plus, I'm used to seeing him at church while we're both surrounded by church people and doing church things. So we were both in an unfamiliar surrounding and therefore in a slightly socially awkward situation. What did we do? At the same exact time, in perfect unison, we both said, "Hi. How are you? I'm fine."
And we kept walking.
At least I didn't grunt some kind of strange unintelligible fake word at him.
I've only had the new (qwerty!) phone and text plan for less than a month, and already I've learned a few important things: 1) I really should turn my phone on silent when I don't want people to hear my silly "Monty Python" ringtone that loudly sounds every single time a person sends me a text. 2) Since I don't get much of a phone signal in my apartment, the most effective way to send a text from said apartment is to lift my phone over my head and carefully swing it back and forth whilst shouting "Whoo Whoo Whoo!" The shouting probably doesn't help, but it seems appropriate somehow. 3) I cannot walk and text (on my awesome qwerty keyboard) at the same time without endangering myself and others.
In fact, I've found that I have great difficulty walking and doing much of anything else. It seems my brain can only focus on one thing at a time. My brain can concentrate on moving my legs back and forth without causing them to trip over themselves (about 62% of the time...which is an improvement), but my brain can't handle any other activity at the same time.
I believe this is why I have such a hard time with greetings on the go. If you're from the South, you probably know what I'm talking about. I've heard that people up North just don't talk to other people...at least not to strangers. But down where I live, if you pass a stranger on the street, it's expected that you will at least acknowledge the other person's existence. Usually, this is done with a simple intercourse of phrases:
Person 1: "Hello. How are you?"
Person 2: "Well, hello to you as well. I am doing well. How are you?"
Person 1: "I am doing well, also. I just got a new phone with a qwerty keypad.
Person 2: (polite chuckle) "That is nice. Isn't this fine weather we are having?"
Person 1: "Yes. Yes it is. I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow."
Person 2: "Me too. I hope the remainder of your day is pleasant."
Person 1: "You too. Goodbye."
Person 2: "Bye, now."
Okay, so maybe most interactions are not that long, but most people (at least in the South) will at least say hi to another person they pass on the street.
However, my brain is only able to focus on walking. I find that when I pass people on the street, I try to say hi, but it doesn't work. I think the problem is, since my brain is working on keeping my legs moving, it doesn't have the capability to also control my speech. It tries to work out the phrasing for "Hello" and "How are you?" all at the same time. And if the other person speaks first and asks me how I am, then my brain is also trying to work out the phrase "I am fine." The end result is that I end up grunting out some kind of unintelligible combination of "Hello, how are you, I am fine." It usually sounds something like, "Hggggag." That's not a word. It doesn't even sound like a word. Qwerty, however, does sound like a word. An awesome, awesome word.
The funny thing is, even after hearing my nonsensical grunt, the other person always just keeps walking. It's probably because their brains are too busy trying to manipulate their legs that they don't have energy to even think about how ridiculous my response just sounded.
Sometimes strange things also happen when I come across people I know. For example, the other day I saw the pastor from my church in a store. I like my pastor, but I wouldn't say we're BFF qwerty texting buddies or anything. Plus, I'm used to seeing him at church while we're both surrounded by church people and doing church things. So we were both in an unfamiliar surrounding and therefore in a slightly socially awkward situation. What did we do? At the same exact time, in perfect unison, we both said, "Hi. How are you? I'm fine."
And we kept walking.
At least I didn't grunt some kind of strange unintelligible fake word at him.
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