International ideas!

I am responding to comments received on two of my columns.

One of my decisions is to pay more attention to my comment files. As I mentioned, a lot of the “comment” is automatic trackback by websites seeking to promote their product or advertise.

In this case, I believe these two are from bona fide persons and I like what “they” shared.

In response to “One Life to Live- But So Many Choices”, the comment was in a foreign language. The first thing I had to do was translate it. I used “google translate”, a wonderful tool and entered the text in the comment box. “Psychologia Prawdziwy przyjaciel wnosi więcej w nasze szczęście niż tysiąc wrogów w nasze nieszczęście. M. von Ebner-Eschenbach.” It is Polish for Psychology A true friend brings more to our happiness than a thousand enemies in our misfortune. M. von Ebner-Eschenbach.

How valuable is one true friend? More powerful than 1000 enemies!!! Loved it, thank you!! I am so fortunate to have friends that date back to 1971. Pretty long time, eh? I gave both of them a “little something” for Christmas this year. When a person can know you as well as they both do and still find something special to like about you- that is truly amazing! We are nothing alike, but I believe sharing a bond from childhood changes how we look at each other and gives us a privilege to “just be ourselves” that adult friends sometimes don’t offer as freely as children. Then there are those friends who become bonded through shared activities and mutual goals. I have one of those who is a forever friend. Even if I don’t see her often and haven’t for years now, we are the same always and I could count on her to vanquish a 1000 enemies if I needed her. Just one call and she’d be on a plane to help me and the same would be true of me. Sort of like that Jimmy Stewart, “Its a Wonderful Life” movie line, “A toast to my brother George, the richest man in town” and then the bell rings and he reads the notation from Clarence “No man is a failure who has friends!”

The next comment was on “Creativity”. I read it several times. How profound. Enjoyed examining this, very good stuff, thank you . “What the United States does best is to understand itself. What it does worst is understand others.” by Carlos Fuentes.

I do agree that it is important to understand ourselves, our motives and our decision making. I also agree it is important to understand others. Could it be that without one, you can’t really have the other?

Thanks to all who have considered a few words and decided to share their thoughts too. Enjoy your holidays!