Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend
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 was known affectionately to close friends as Sound Thinking
and he will be remembered as having cultivated 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 lived by simple sound financial policies.
Don't spend more than you can earn
and reliable parenting strategies
Adults are in charge not children
His health began to deteriorate rapidly
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 on the cheek.
Teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch,
and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student,
only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers
for doing the job they themselves had failed to do
in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further
when schools were required to get parental consent
to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student
but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant.
Common Sense lost the will to live
as the churches became businesses
and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home
and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live
after a woman failed to realize
that a steaming cup of coffee was hot.
She spilled a little in her lap
and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents,
Truth and Trust
his wife, discretion
his daughter, responsibility
his son, reason
He is survived by his four stepbrothers
I know my rights
I want my rights
I want it now
I'm a victim
Not many have attended his funeral today
as so few have realized that our beloved common sense has finally gone.
Thank you.
There is a message behind the story which I feel is so true.
What has happened to the world today?
What has happened to common sense?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below
Now the text to this...
The Death of Common Sense
was sent to me over a decade ago
and I thought I'd like to share this with you as a listening activity.
This is a modified version
of an essay written by Lori Borgman.
There is a link to her website in the description below
and you can also order her book that includes the original version of this essay.
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Have an awesome day!