Branded

I believe I was a junior, maybe a senior, in high school, when we got our first television set. Black and white Emerson. Guess most people can remember the brand because it was a momentous occasion and besides there were not too many brands around as I recall. Sylvania, RCA Victor, General Electric are some that come to mind. In fact I don't think there were many brands of anything back then. Our refrigerator is still called a Frigidaire. (apologies to Kenmore). The washer is still called a Whirlpool. (apology to GE), you probably do the same thing. If we go get a drink we still say "lets go get a Coke". (we are not inclined to say lets go get a beer in my family) When I wipe a tear from my eye I use a Kleenex. (it may be a Puff) If I clean my windows, I use Windex, no matter what the brand. You can name many of the same things. We all do it. Being branded is a big thing.

Things like people have a hard time shaking a name. If you were a rebel rouser when you were young, the people that knew you then will always remember that. No matter you changed. Its taken me all these years to understand what my granddad tried to teach me about how to live my life. Truth be told, its taken me a lot of years to shake rebel rouser. People are slower to forgive the transgressions of your youth and think differently of you than God is. Wait around however, they will if you try. I am a living testament to that.