Getting along with the world

is becoming more and more complicated. No one is listening. I had a dinner party last week and everyone sat in a circle with their plates on their laps and listened to whomever was speaking. Even more astonishing, there was a pause after each comment so the opinion of the speaker could sink in. We didn’t have any rules about this to start with. it was the way things evolved. The room was filled with more young people than old people and I wonder if this is why we all listened. Could younger people be more respectful? Are they more interested in learning and hearing from others? In this case it seemed to be true. There was no need in this group to jump in after the speaker was finished and tell their own story which generally has little to do with the subject at hand.

Its not easy to listen. One has to ignore the continual wandering of the brain that listening to others bring upon us. While listening you have to focus and block out your own thoughts and opinions and repeat what your are hearing and try to understand and respect another’s opinion. Even Fox news can teach us all a lesson.

My children had ears that looked like small shells to me, and I would peer into them when they slept on their sides. Later, we listened to conk shells and remembered the sounds of the many oceans on this earth. It was a good way to learn the art of listening.

My minister believes in heaven.

I believe in the here and the now. Someone asked me last night what my plans were in the coming months and I replied that I had none and preferred to live day by day. I only buy Treasuries that go out a maximum of two years.

America is losing her place in the top world lineup.

I am making plans for the afternoon. There is a movie about a penquin that I am going to see. Penquin is “Penquina” in Italian. Why are they lovable to us humans?