Exasperating. Infuriating. You can’t live with them and you can’t live without them! Then again… why would you want to? As you traverse your life’s path there are many who will populate it. Corny? Probably, but it is still true. Some of the people will become friends, some only acquaintances. Some you will work with and others will be part of your leisure time activities. But whatever the situation, circumstance, or specific world you are in… it will be peopled. Probably the only way you won’t have people in your world is if you decide to become a hermit – and what’s the fun in that!?
Yes, people can be a pain; yes, they will hurt and misunderstand you, there are all sorts of negative emotions attached to ‘people’. But they can also be helpful, understanding, funny, bringing you joy and a whole host of other emotions. People in my world do all of the positive and all of the negative things that I also do. But, the delight and discovery that they bring as their ‘who they are’ is worth the negative – at least to me. I try and have the attitude that each person has a nugget, a pearl, a bit of wisdom that they share with the world and my responsibility is to discover it. Again, corny but accurate.
Perhaps you don’t need a cluster or group of people, but I think that everyone needs at least two significant people in their lives. Why 2? Because you always need more than just one other person’s opinion, thought, idea, etc. Wisdom and understanding is discovered “… in the multitude of counselors there is safety”. (Proverbs 11:14, 15:22) Bottom line is that none of us is the font of all wisdom, we need to be able to rely on, as a source, what other people – whom we trust – have discovered.
I’ve always believed the scripture of ‘iron sharpening iron’ – that’s part and parcel of being a friend and the basis of communication. In my world there are people of all sorts of sizes and shapes, with varying beliefs on a whole host of subjects. And while debate may be the mode of our discussions, so too is valuing and respecting. People in my world challenge me, support me, and sometimes vex me. I hope that I do the same for them.
…but, what do you think?
