I was raised in the LDS church. At church we refer to leaders and teachers and other members of the church as Brother So-and-So and Sister Whozit. It is a recognition that we are brothers and sisters as we are all children of God. It is also a term of respect for your elders and for those in leadership positions. So now I find myself in a quandry. I am now officially an adult (and have been for some time as much as I choose to deny it) but I find I am having a hard time calling those who are still clearly older than me by their first name. Old habits certainly die hard. I have been working with one particular brother whose grown-up children are all (but one) older than I am. He was in the bishopric when I first met him as well. So now that we work together in a committee he insists I call him by his first name. Even at his insistance, I have to supress a giggle every time I say his name- like I am breaking some sort of taboo. But it seems, what I view as a term of respect, he feels it just makes him seem older.
So now that I am on the Relief Society presidency I am faced by the same issue with some of the women that I will be working with. Am I the only one to ever feel this way? Please feel free to weigh in!
2 comments:
I know what you're talking about. I just end up calling everyone brother or sister until I feel like I have a real, personal relationship with them - and then I feel good about calling them by their first name. The only exception is Bishop - who I've never called by his first name - because of the office. It's like POTUS, it's easier when you think of it as the office and not the man, sometimes... (especially now that my bishop is only a few years older than I am)
I'm with you, Erin. There are some people that I just can't call by their first names. Anyone I grew up with would be included in that group. I have a good friend from high school whose mom insists I call her by her first name, but I just can't do it. She'll always be Mrs. to me. I take it as a sign that I was trained well as a child :)
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