Making the tough decisions

Just recently I had a call from a cousin who'd spoken to our aunt. It seems she was in a frenzy over some kind of mailer she'd received that baffled her. It had something to do with a car. Since she's 97, has never driven and never owned a car, she was confused. Her first call had been not to my cousin. Not to me. But to my cousin's brother, apparently because he -- being a man and all -- would have superior wisdom when it came to resolving the issue. Since he wasn't around, my cousin got the call by default and I, because I was going to visit the next day, got to resolve the problem...by tearing up the mailer and tossing it and reassuring her that it was junk, despite looking official.

This is not a first. My aunt often turns to my cousin's brother, which usually amuses both my cousin and me. My cousin is, after all, a teacher with more than 30 years experience, and I've been around quite a few professional blocks myself. Never mind that, in fact, my aunt herself is pretty savvy still, and had a long career with the government. Somehow she believes a guy will give her better advice.

This has made me wonder whether her attitude comes from her era, her age or whether it just reflects a tendency by all of us to seek perspectives from a lot of people before making tough decisions. Maybe it's the latter.

I've faced a few dilemmas lately and I have to admit to seeking opinions from far and wide, male and female. I'm perfectly capable of making the decisions on my own -- and ultimately I'll have to -- but I'm torn. I need all these other voices to help me view things more clearly.

What do you do when you're facing a tough decision? Do you have specific people you turn to for advice? Does that person vary depending on the issue? I'd love to hear if you've encountered the "men know best" philosophy? Sign on to comment below, or email me directly at Sherryl703@gmail.com.