The Sits
The people of the world speak thousands of languages. I admire those who speak several. I speak one, and only one. It’s English.
The English language varies from place to place, though, just as many other languages do. I have long thought it interesting how English speakers use the little word “the.” For example, when our family lived in Mississippi, we were the Notgrasses. When we moved to Illinois, people dropped the the and we became simply Notgrasses. When having a party in Mississippi, our friends might have invited over the Davises, the Coopers, and the Notgrasses. In Illinois, they invited Carrs, Trammels, and Notgrasses.
I grew up hearing about people being in the hospital: “James was in the hospital for a week after his back surgery.” However, in England people are not in the hospital; they are simply in hospital: “James was in hospital for a week”–no “the” necessary in England.
The use of the word “the” in relation to illness was common as I was growing up. People didn’t have flu; they had the flu. They didn’t have measles; they had the measles. They had the mumps and the chicken pox, too. We never had the cold though. We always had a cold. Why the difference? I don’t know. That’s just the way we said it.
Last night I came down with a health condition I call “the sits.” It’s that condition I get when I’ve gone and done and I’m tired and I want to do nothing but just sit. Sometimes I get the sits when I’ve been working hard. Last night I got them because I’d had such a long day of fun with our sweet Henry and his mama and daddy.
Perhaps you get the sits sometimes, too.
When I think I’m about to catch a cold, I fight it with lots of natural remedies, but the sits? That’s a different story. The best way to handle the sits is to give in and go with the flow. The flu, the measles, the mumps, the chicken pox–they’re the pits, but the sits–they’re nice. The best way to handle them is simply to do what your body says it should do–sit. For many women–myself included–this doesn’t come easily; we have to make ourselves do what should come quite naturally.
A case of the sits is really a blessing. I hope you enjoy your next bout.
And He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a secluded place
and rest a while.”
Mark 6:31a, NASB
This made me smile today, thanks Charlene! I come from where people say “the” too. My children think it’s funny that I say, “I’m going to the Publix” instead of just “I’m going grocery shopping.” But when I was growing up, I always heard folks say, “I’m going to the Bi-Lo” or “I’m going to the Piggly Wiggly.” Oh well, I’m sure someday their children will laugh at them too! Thankfully, I have enough self-confidence to endure the teenage years.
What a sweet photo of you and baby Henry! 🙂