When I was in my late 20’s and early 30’s I worked in the office at a private golf club. The majority of members I interacted with were 20 – 30 years older than I was.

So many of the women would call me honey, dear, sweetheart, etc. Not all of them were kind women and I didn’t get why so many of them used those terms.

Then the strangest thing happened. As I turned 50 years old, all of a sudden and without warning or provocation I started calling everyone honey, dear and sweetheart. Eeek I became one of them.

This is common for me now, regardless of the person’s age, or the situation. It comes out of my mouth as unconsciously as my breath.