Regional expressions

Marge and I both grew up in the Sandhills of Nebraska in ranching country with both of our parents and most of our relatives raising cattle. We lived in Nebraska seven years after we were married before moving to Oklahoma, where we lived three years. Then we moved to Kentucky, where we lived three years, and we've lived in Missouri since 1986 -- so going on 40 years. We've been around a lot of different people in Oklahoma and in Kentucky. Some friends of ours were from South Africa, South Korea, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Israel, and the list goes on and on.

It is interesting that some expressions were said quite often by some but not at all by others. The simple expression "love you" was one that stood out. Guys where I grew up virtually never said it, and then if they did it was to a wife or daughter or maybe a dog or cat. Never said to another guy. Along with the phrase "love you", a hug was common. Not up in the Sandhills. That was a good way to get your jaw jacked.

But hugs were common in churches in the South but not so in the North like Nebraska. I can't ever remember giving our pastor in Nebraska, the Rev. Grandma Brown, a hug or her husband, Grandpa Brown, or matter of fact, telling them we love them. But when we arrived in Oklahoma hugs were common in church and even more common in Kentucky and Missouri. But then one will get all kinds of comments at businesses or just a chance meeting in the South. I've been called honey and sweety by complete strangers in Missouri and in Kentucky. Never called that up North. They'd have looked at you with a weird eye.

But in Churches it's pretty common to call another Brother Paul or Sister Sarah. This has been true in virtually every area we've lived in. Many a person has called me Brother Rennie and where I'm a pastor they have called me Pastor Rennie. It has never bothered me to be called pastor or brother or just plain Rennie.

I did a DuckDuckGo search of titles of affection and came up with a few. Baby, sweetheart, sugar, dude, buddy, honey and son were just a few of those listed. I've probably called Marge sweetheart and sugar and honey but just her. I probably don't tell her I love her as often as I should. I've been called honey and sugar in restaurants down here in the south. And honestly Dude is one title I've used a good many times down through the years.

Pardner is one that we grew up with in Nebraska. To be called a pardner was a title of endearment or respect or close friendship. Calling a single gal a "heifer" is another term from cattle country. Bud or buddy is another term we grew up with. Compadre is one as well but it probably came from the movies. One term that I've used is "gal" to refer to a lady when I don't know her name or title or age or virtually anything about her.

I'm sure that some could and would take offence at any of these titles while another would be pleased. We live in a world where some take offence at virtually anything. Some seem to almost walk around with a chip on their shoulder waiting for someone to bump it off. It's like one is expecting to be offended. "Ready to take offense" is their motto.

It's like we almost have to check if it's socially acceptable to address someone with a particular title. I took a blacksmithing course up by Potosi which was taught by a Jewish blacksmith from Israel. He called me "preacher" and I called him a "Jew." Neither of us meant any disrespect. It was just a title whether right or wrong or good or bad. Just a title.

Maybe we all need to chill out a little bit and don't get all worked up and upset by the ridiculous. After all they are just words.