Thursday, September 14, 2006

Turning points

As far as I can ascertain, everyone has turning points in their lives, moments when they change direction, see themselves and the world in a new way, make a fresh start, call it what you will.
Usually, but not always, the moment of "turning" is as the result of an event or a person. I can think of three major turning points in my life, and each is associated with a person, someone who changed my life, or at least my Weltanschauung. If you will bear with me, I will name them as a kind of homage and respect for what they did for me:
John Llewellyn Morgan-Jones, who believed in me when nobody else did (I was 17); RIP
Mariarosa V-T, still alive, thank God, who taught me to be a mensch, just in time;
Alf Crosby, who did so much for me in so many ways. Alf, I miss you.

Enough of that. My point - and there IS a point - is this:
We can all name the people who changed or influenced our lives for the good. But can we name any people whose lives WE have truly changed or influenced for the good?
I hope I have helped people in the way that I have been helped. My problem is that I can easily bring to mind the people I have wronged, intentionally or by default. Why, then, is it so hard for us to recall our good deeds?
Enough of that too.
My son talks about acts of unconditional love. Believe me, I try to perform them, and I also subscribe to the view that one should do good by stealth. One day I will get the hang of it.. I promise.

Envoi: Why the bear? Pooh Bear is my hero, one of the good guys. I thought he deserved a cameo part in this blog.

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