A Bit of Harping

Here's the thing.
I know I'm old. But old is not my essence. Know what I mean? And I have not lost my senses or my intelligence or my personality/personhood.

I am Carol, a person. And so when people see me and the first thing they say indicates that they don't see Carol, a person, that they see an old person, I don't like it. And that is what all the hon, dear, sweetie, young lady, kid labels do. They mark the person old, and old is a barrier. Trust me. I know.

I have nothing against the people who do this, who call me those little endearing names that mean nothing endearing but that serve a handy function--they deal with me, put me in the proper pigeon hole. Handy.

No, I have nothing against those people.