Unimportant thoughts on an important subject

I have been thinking about sex a lot lately. It seems that wherever I go, the subject springs back into my mind. No matter what I try to think about, sex jumps right in.

There is really no rhyme or reason to the constant preoccupation with the subject, but everyday conversation just won't let it alone.

For example: Why is it MOTHER Nature, but FATHER Time? Is there something in the female gender that identifies more closely with nature than it does with time? It may go back to the old cliché that it takes a woman so long to get dressed that she is always late for events. If you check this out I think you will find that is not the case. Individual persons, both male and female have established the reputation for being on the late side. Equally true is it that there are those of each gender that are well known for being early, or at least right on time.

Father Time is blamed for many things, and earlier generations may have thought that anyone carrying that heavy a load must be male. That goes back to the idea that the husband is the lord and master of the house.

That doesn't bother me too much. I don't really want to be blamed for the things that Father Time has loaded on his shoulders. But then, Mother Nature has thrown a few curves this year to many people. Being called by a female name hasn't relieved her of having disasters chalked up to her name.

So why are these names used? Other examples pop into my head also. Ships are called by female pronouns.

"She's a dandy little vessel." Or, "Wait until she's on the water. There's nothing like her."

Now, that might be because of the beauty of many ships. But even a rotting old rowboat gets the same terminology. It may not get the praise, but she is still called a 'she'.

Cats and kittens obviously are born either male or female, but the average person, seeing a cat not already an acquaintance, will refer to the feline as a she. On the other hand, most often in a similar circumstance, a dog will be given the male pronouns.

In the French language, nouns are assigned gender. I can't remember enough of my high school French to give examples, but it was always hard to remember which form to use.

Thankfully we don't have that problem in the English language. Possibly it is a hold over from the Romance languages that causes us to use male or female pronouns for inanimate objects.

With the new trend of avoiding using only male subjects and pronouns, we sometimes get surprised to read in a medical article about signs to look for in a patient. Often the patient will be referred to as a woman or girl, when the condition was not related to her sex.

I like this movement and have problems in my women's groups when someone asks for volunteers to "man" the desk or the ticket booth. I try to suggest that I will be willing to "staff" the desk or booth, but I am incapable of manning it.

Mother Nature has been kind to me today. She let me enjoy some sunshine and provided me with some fruits and vegetables to make me stay healthy.

But Father Time wasn't so good. I still have a dozen things I need to do before supper, and I haven't even had time to play one game of Free Cell or work a crossword puzzle.