The ever-elusive season of Spring is still fighting for dominance over Winter. I hope it hurries. Its time to be able to go out of the house without bundling up and struggling to stay warm! Now don’t get me wrong, I’m the first to admit that come the insane heat of summer I am going to be complaining about how bloody hot it is, but I really like Spring a great deal more than I like winter. Summer could do with some moderation, especially as I don’t have air conditioning. And last Summer I was nearly baked alive, so I’m kind of hoping we have a summer which is more moderate in temperature. Especially so it’s easier and more comfortable to wear gear. But enough about weather patterns.
On many occasions, I have spoken about the fickle-ness of people on the internet, and obviously that’s never going to change. The internet provides people with a safe-haven – a layer of protection for themselves, where they can be, or pretend to be, anything, anyone they want to be. The problem with this is that many people do not seem to build true relationships with people, and both parties end up being disappointed in the end. And, at the end of it, the three personal key words I keep harping on come back into place.
Honestly, integrity and respect. In recent weeks, I have run into quite a few people who lack those three core principals. This becomes frustrating and, quite frankly adds to the frustration I have with ‘society’. I also think the annoyance is because you really can’t have one of those principals without the other. I mean, let’s face it, if I respect you, then I am going to be honest, and follow through on what we’ve spoken about, and so on.
I have a great deal of respect for many of the people I know. I respect their opinions, even if they are different from mine, and I respect their life experiences. I gain knowledge from their experiences, and of all the things that we can possess, the one thing they truly cannot take away from us is Knowledge.
And Knowledge is power. Knowledge is what makes ‘great’ men Great. It’s the reason we remember the names of people such as Plato and Aristotle, many centuries after they have passed on. And we should strive to gain knowledge every day. Learn something new, no matter how inconsequential it may seem at the time. The application of knowledge is what we call Wisdom.
I have been fortunate in many regards. I have had many people with many different experiences I have met over the years. I have gained knowledge of many things (some of which I must admit, I wish I hadn’t learned), but that knowledge has helped me, on more than one occasion to offer guidance and support to those in times of need. I find that many people turn to me for that guidance and I have to admit I enjoy the feeling of being able to help someone else through a tough time.
So go out and learn something today. Go and get to know someone new. Take the time and interact with someone, and learn about life from someone else’s experiences. You never know when that knowledge is going to come in handy to save a life – possibly even yours.
I know today’s blog is rambling a little and seems rather disjointed in some ways – it may be that I simply need more coffee. But these things float around in my head sometimes, and just need to be put down in black and white and posted somewhere for someone to read.
Speaking of postings…. Is anyone paying attention? The webpage is in danger of being closed down, as it comes up for renewal this coming month. If you can donate – no matter how small an amount, please do so. Every cent helps.