Cursing for Charity

Back when our children were younger, one of their favorite relatives to come for a visit was their Aunt Maxine.  She was also one of my favorite aunts so I was delighted that they enjoyed her as much as I did.  Aunt Maxine was always a colorful person...a true original.  She was plain-spoken, loved to have fun, adventurous, could tell a great story, AND she cursed when she'd get mad.  That last attribute might seem a little out-of-place in a list of fine qualities but, for someone who grew up in a non-cursing environment, it was a true source of entertainment and fascination.

On one of her visits to our home, our children came up with a "system" to help her stop swearing.  They solemnly informed her that anytime she said a bad word in front of them, she would have to put a quarter in a jar that would then be divided up between the two of them at the end of her visit.  Maxine agreed and the kids went into "Swear Patrol" mode.

If we were out driving and someone cut her off in traffic, "#%$ @ those potlickers," Maxine would shout.

"Oh, oh.....Aunt Maxine, you need to put a quarter in the jar," the kids would shout.

"#@&#, you're right, your Aunt Maxine shouldn't have said those words," she'd reply, fishing for her purse to toss it into the backseat.  "Kids, find a quarter in there, would you?"

That's how it would go the entire visit and the children were noticeably richer by the end of her stay.  And now, I've discovered that there is actually an online "cussing jar" for people who are trying to kick the swearing habit.  In this internet age, it really shouldn't surprise me.  To sweeten the pot, all of the proceeds are donated to charity.  If you want to check it out, you can go to The Swear Jar .  Who knew that all those years ago, that old cussing jar would catch on for goodness?