- I had lunch with a Russian friend recently and I very much enjoy time with him
- He’s a great guy with a no-nonsense but jovial perspective and often challenges me, which I always like
- He is very blunt and says it like it is which is refreshing as its entirely genuine and there are never any misunderstandings
- I love hanging out with foreigners, especially ones that aren’t masters of the English language
- Unlike their North American counterparts who have been known to manipulate the language by adding superfluous words, these non-English speakers always get right to the point, partly because their vocabulary can be somewhat limited, but also because they often don’t share the desire to convolute ideas
- Life is entirely about people and relationships; Without them, dogs are friendly enough, but the conversations start to get a bit dull; And trees are good for shade, but most of us tend to tire of raking leaves after a few seasons
- I often hear people say they are religious or spiritual but they just don’t feel the need to go to a church or an organized place of religion
- One of the top reasons I like to go to church is that churches on the whole attract good people
- Of course there are those there who aren’t really walking-the-talk, but overall a church is a concentrated gathering of people with something in common: to lead a positive and supportive and caring lifestyle
- Now who could argue with that?!
- Now that isn’t to say that this is a replacement for your other sources of community (i.e. family, good friends, close colleagues), but its simply a complement
- No one person is without difficult times (they come in all shapes and sizes) and absolutely everyone needs other people to support them at various times in their lives
- Having good people in your corner is critical to lead a full life (but often forgotten when things are going smoothly)
Practically speaking
- Surround yourself with good people and reach out to others that need help
- Life is too short to live on your own and isolate others because of petty grudges and insignificant issues
- Embrace others, whether it is your favorite aunt or your most detested colleague, they all have something to teach you
- Give Dale Carnegie’s first principal a try: Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain
- Simple enough in theory, but a full-time job to master
- And smile more, you’ll make new friends – guaranteed