The other day, I walked to the parking lot with a colleague. I found myself rushing to walk on her left so that I was on outside edge of the sidewalk. I caught myself doing this and wondered why.Short Article: Edhat.com from Santa Barbara.
I seriously doubt those can be the reasons for my behavior; no one I knew travelled by horse and there weren't even sidewalks where I grew up!
Yet, it has dawned on me that we are full of unconsciously incorporated manners and habits. When I offer, "God bless you," after a sneeze, it's simply an automatic response. It must have been drilled into my head by my mother. I really can't recall her asking, "What do you say when someone sneezes?" Yet, assuredly the root of my present-day behavior must be somehow connected to intensive indoctrination.
All this is a little bit frightening, isn't it? The extent of the impact that parents have on a sibling's entire future is a little disturbing. I shouldn't be worried, I guess, as I'm quite pleased with how I turned out. I do have some serious concerns about a few acquaintences though ...