MY TRUTH: Dear…

By Cheryl Smith

By Cheryl Smith

Gum Chewers:

Actor, singer, all-around-entertainer Jamie Foxx was sitting in his seat at the 2005 Academy Awards Program.

When his name was announced and as he stood up to make his way on stage, I know I wasn’t the only one glad that the media mogul Oprah Winfrey had gotten Mr. Foxx’s attention and had him do as many a school teacher has instructed.

He had to spit out his gum in a tissue and then hand it to Ms. Winfrey.

As we celebrated in our homes, the last thing we needed to see was someone on stage chewing like they didn’t have any home training.

Which brings me to my truth!

We know that gum is a very popular commodity. It is a “soft, cohesive substance designed to be chewed without being swallowed. It is composed of gum base, softeners/plasticizers, flavors, colors, typically, a hard or powdered polyol coating.”

According to Allied Market Research, the global chewing gum market size was valued at $16.1 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach $26.8 billion by 2031.

So there is a lot of chewing going on.

I don’t care why anyone chooses to chew gum. It is their prerogative. What I do know; however, is that there is a time and place for everything.

You may pop gum in your mouth because you need to freshen your breath, or you hope to curb your appetite. Still, you might be nervous, trying to stop smoking or to stay awake. Whatever the situation, there are times when you should avoid partaking of this delicacy.

Whenever you are getting up to speak or walking down an aisle, you should not have gum in your mouth.

Some see nothing wrong with chewing like Elsie, the cow.

But what if the gum flies out of your mouth in the middle of you sharing an earth-shattering message, or making a profound declaration?

Too often I have seen videos of people walking down the aisle at a wedding, funeral, graduation or church program. Or, they get up to speak at an event or in a meeting.

Take it from me. There’s nothing of pomp or circumstance in the look of folks chewing gum or anything else.

It’s not a good look.

It looks bad, no matter how cute you may be.

Your parents talked to you about talking with food in your mouth.

News flash: Gum and chewing tobacco are just like food.

Don’t walk around chewing and talking and spewing food, gum or tobacco over everyone, and yourself.

And I’m not going to waste energy on those who pop or crack their gum!

There are those who will say there are benefits to chewing gum. Several experts have said there is some evidence that chewing gum is instrumental in reducing stress, boosting memory, improving oral health, preventing ear infections, helping you quit smoking, helping the gut heal after surgery, relieving reflux symptoms, satisfying thirst and seeing more clearly.

This is important to note and do more research on.

Just realize that I am focusing more on when and where you chew gum. I’m not focusing on the gum that grosses me out when I touch some under a desk or a chair, nor am I focusing on the times when I lifted up my foot to feel the tug of gum on the bottom of my shoe.

Check out some videos of people chewing. Tell me what you think. The latest one I recall is of an elected official addressing a group. The official was angry and it was hard to concentrate on the message because I was waiting for the gum to fly out and hit someone. Now you probably won’t change this habit but hopefully you’ll give it some thought and make adjustments according to the circumstances.