Sensibilities

Everyone has their own set of sensibilities. Whether they are innate, or instilled is an interesting idea for me to contemplate.

I grew up with almost no personal boundaries in a family where the children were treated as simple innocent creatures to be cared for, en masse, with no allowances made for gender until I was almost twelve. I do remember my mother shouting at my father to put some clothes on when he was heading into the bathroom when I was around three, but it was her shouting that made it memorable. I don't even remember seeing at him.

My mother had no inhibitions when it came to her and me. Up until the time she died, I was comfortable anywhere she was and that included in the bathroom bathing or using the toilet. I don't remember any of my other siblings being there, so I don't know what they thought.

I had more privacy as a mother, but it was more because I like alone time and the bathroom was the only opportunity I had for that for ten years. I wasn't overly concerned about the state of being dressed or undressed as long as we didn't have company. Sometimes the bathroom was actually a surreptitious reading room!

I really have no sense of what is truly right or wrong when it comes to personal boundaries between people who are close, so I try to go along with whatever the person I am with feels comfortable with now.