Corey, The Amazing Super-Hero of Our Family (Part I)

While it often makes me sad to think of my son and how much I miss him, in honor of his birthday next week, I want to tell you a few stories about him so you can see what made him so special to us.

It all began with an unplanned pregnancy the summer before my senior year of high school. It was 1977, and people had mixed opinions on single mothers back then. Where I lived in rural Minnesota, however, people were mostly conservative and there were those who felt it their duty to enforce a moral code over everyone else. One woman even called my mother to tell her not to allow me out in public for fear of my influencing other young women to follow suit. Even though I'm sure it pained her to have people talking about her and her family, needless to say, my mother told her to mind her own business. I attended classes my senior year with everyone else only because there was no way they could stop me. The high school principal had strongly suggested I seek home schooling or simply drop out as so many had done before me. I refused. I was actually going to attend classes in my "condition" and it caused more than a small amount of commotion. I remember one day in December of that year when sitting in history class, there were more classmates chuckling at the movements of my belly than actually paying attention to the teacher. My friends stuck by me and we all learned from the experience together.

What Ever Happened to Manners and Etiquette?

While people-watching in a local bar last night, I suddenly realized there are no rules anymore. People don't know how to eat with their mouths closed, talk without food in their mouths, how to sit properly, how to hold a knife and fork, or even have basic consideration for the people at the next table.
It's not that I expect things never to change over time, but some things should never be thought "acceptable" as far as I'm concerned. We could blame the media, of course, since television shows and movies over-exaggerate bad behavior to get laughs - but why do kids feel the need to emulate these things - does it make them feel like movie stars or something?