Showing posts with label My Philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Philosophy. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Blessings
I have found myself talking to God a lot for the last few days and I seem to be saying the same thing over and over - Thank You, Lord, for all the wonderful blessings You have given me.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Uncouth
Okay, I really do try to be positive in all my postings but I’ve got something under my skin. Growing up in rural TN and living most of my adult life in the area, I am unfamiliar with mannerisms and traditions of foreign cultures including Asian, Arabic or even European.
Nowhere am I more aware of the differences than when sitting down to have a meal.
I am clumsy with chopsticks and have no clue how they survive without knives or spoons, especially when the food is so good I just want to scoop the tiny pieces. I know very little of Prosecco, Sake or Champagne and their serving methods. I don’t know if it is proper form to use my fingers when eating Arabic food…In all these instances I use my own judgment, watch others and try not to offend my fellow diners.
As a Southerner I’m sensitive to the clichéd attributes of being ignorant and uncouth. To my way of thinking having “manners” is not so much about knowing the exact protocol as it is to show respect for others and to make them feel comfortable. This is what famous Southern hospitality is all about - making others feel welcomed, appreciated and respected. There are some who think the “form” their manners take is more important than how it affects those around them. They boast that their manners set them apart and displays to others their superior sophistication.
I had the unpleasant occasion to dine with such a couple recently who made a big deal out of perceived faux pas committed by the rest of us, taking time to completely enlighten us on their advanced experience. I wonder if these people realize just how alienating it is to the others around them; how much their behavior shows their total lack of manners.
The traits of ignorance and uncouth are certainly not unique to American Southerners.
Nowhere am I more aware of the differences than when sitting down to have a meal.
I am clumsy with chopsticks and have no clue how they survive without knives or spoons, especially when the food is so good I just want to scoop the tiny pieces. I know very little of Prosecco, Sake or Champagne and their serving methods. I don’t know if it is proper form to use my fingers when eating Arabic food…In all these instances I use my own judgment, watch others and try not to offend my fellow diners.
As a Southerner I’m sensitive to the clichéd attributes of being ignorant and uncouth. To my way of thinking having “manners” is not so much about knowing the exact protocol as it is to show respect for others and to make them feel comfortable. This is what famous Southern hospitality is all about - making others feel welcomed, appreciated and respected. There are some who think the “form” their manners take is more important than how it affects those around them. They boast that their manners set them apart and displays to others their superior sophistication.
I had the unpleasant occasion to dine with such a couple recently who made a big deal out of perceived faux pas committed by the rest of us, taking time to completely enlighten us on their advanced experience. I wonder if these people realize just how alienating it is to the others around them; how much their behavior shows their total lack of manners.
The traits of ignorance and uncouth are certainly not unique to American Southerners.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
There are nuggets of wisdom that we learn as we live. Finn Sisu had several that were oft repeated. One that is steady on my mind at this time is just how important it is to cherish today. Living in the past, thinking of what was and no longer is steals our ability to appreciate the blessings we currently enjoy. And always looking for the achievements, goals of the future can rob us of the same.
We cannot mourn yesterday or yearn for tomorrow without taking time out from today.
My dad hugged me at one of the lowest points of my life and said, "No matter what it is, it will change." The wisdom of that statement is that if it is bad, it has to get better because nothing stays the same. The flip side is that if it is good, it will probably get worse.
I suppose our job as humans is to sing when we are on the mountain tops, wail when in the valleys, and remember both when we are on the road of ambivalence.
We cannot mourn yesterday or yearn for tomorrow without taking time out from today.
My dad hugged me at one of the lowest points of my life and said, "No matter what it is, it will change." The wisdom of that statement is that if it is bad, it has to get better because nothing stays the same. The flip side is that if it is good, it will probably get worse.
I suppose our job as humans is to sing when we are on the mountain tops, wail when in the valleys, and remember both when we are on the road of ambivalence.
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