Several Cool Responses To Seeds

I always like it when Seeds readers write back to me in response to that particular week’s Seed. I even have a file in my computer called “Cool Responses to Seeds.”

Several of you wrote about this possible history of ps & qs:

The etymology and evolution of the phrase, in my experience, was found in connection to the earliest revolutionary days.

The command to mind your p's and q's was an admonishment when the pub got too loud and rowdy. Or for the servers to push more ale.

They served pints and quarts of ale. As the customers became more inebriated, the pub owner would shout to mind your p's and q's, in an attempt to lower the volume and rambunctiousness of his clientele and of course to save his establishment from the damage caused by drunken brawls.

If he was not making enough money for the night, he would command his 'ladies' to mind your p's and q's, of course meaning that they should sell more pints and quarts.

Since then, the phrase has been adapted to a more civil meaning to attend to peace and quiet.

I always enjoy reading your Seeds. Thank you for taking the time.

Another reader offered this explanation:

One of the explanations I’ve heard for the Ps and Qs comes from the printing trade.
In a type tray all the letters are backwards, and a printers assistant (known as a ‘devil’) could easily confuse a p/q!

Overall, most of the responses I received were glad about the reminder to allow for a little peace and quiet as the weekend began.

Peace and quiet are what let each one of us connect to the deepest truth of ourselves, dear one. Peace, quiet and inspiration—a.k.a. a deep breath—turn the Divine Spark into a Divine Flame, and that’s really what we’re doing here on Earth.