Winning Words 9/30/10
“Lasting change is a series of compromises. Compromise is all right as long as your values don’t change.” (Jane Goodall) Jane’s life work has been to seek protection for wild animals, especially the chimpanzees. Life is such that when we work for causes, some compromise is called for. It is possible to maintain our values without getting “our way” all of the time. It’s a hard lesson for some people to learn. ;-) Jack

FROM SL IN MICHIGAN: This one comes at a perfect time. I was involved in a rather heated discussion last night about education with friends. So many people are opposed to the school of choice that our district has implemented over the years because the "less fortunate" kids that are being bussed in are compromising our children's education. Some feel each child deserves an education and has every right to a WB school. The problem is much larger than schools and real dialog and compromise is necessary! As usual, your WW are right on target for my feelings! FROM JACK: I happen to agree with you. Connecting the "school of choice" issue with compromise is a good response. This isn't a perfect world. I'm old enough to remember when there was a "separate, but equal" brand of education. It was separate, but it wasn't equal. Back to the subject of the day...compromise. In world issues, on national scene, in personal relationships...if there is no compromise, we are asking for continued unrest and dissatisfaction. The second part of today's WWs is the subject of values. Gather a group of people together, and you're bound to get a difference of opinion regarding values. I don't expect everyone to accept my set of values as their's, but I do hope that we all are willing to listen. If we do, we might learn something from one another.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: It was a hard thing to learn. Three times a life situation arose. Three times I prayed for a different result. Three times I kept in mind "Thy Will be done" and when it was all over and the dust had settled I had learned compromise and also that my values hadn't changed because what did result was so good. Today's WW are words to grab onto and live by more peaceably. FROM JACK: If there wasn't compromise, God wouldn't have "created" the forgiveness of sin. I'm all for that!

FROM PL IN MICHIGAN: This is a wonderful topic and the response of the first comment illustrates the stress when values collide relative to social issues. As I get older I'm far less tolerant of folks in group gatherings believing that they can spout anything believing that because we are in that group or look like the speaker we must have the same perspective. People sometimes get very uncomfortable when they realize "it ain't so."
and someone in the group will stand up and say "if you continue ,I can!t be here and here is why. FROM JACK: Most of us don't like confrontation, but there comes a time.... Someone has to make a stand for values.

FROM HS IN MICHIGAN: Precisely! If only folks on the far left and far right understood the importance of compromise and moderation. FROM JACK: Tell an alcoholic or drug abuser to be moderate and see what the results are.

FROM CB IN MICHIGAN: I put today’s WW into practice today, this morning, already … and feel great about the result. It came at an amazingly appropriate time for me to consider this wisdom. FROM JACK: Life is good when I can come across something that helps me to figure out some of life's puzzles. Having said that, values is a word that continues to lurk in my mind.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Values are at a premium today. Many are asked to forget values completely and to go for the "popular" stance. I will always listen but will only compromise if it doesn't effect my values. They have been challenged quite constantly lately. Sometimes it good because it makes you evaluate yourself. My morals and values have not changed despite challenges and compromises. FROM JACK: I agree that values are important. I also believe that as life unfolds we need to continually re-examine our values. That's where compromise comes in. For example, a non-believer may have a value system that's important at the time. But when beliefs change, values might change, too. A good question: What are values?

FROM MO IN ILLINOIS: Jane's books and articles are a fascinating read. What a life she has led! I would guess every pastor and wife, or should I just say Christian, has had to compromise in order to move forward...and our present culture does not seem to value Christian morals or mores. Maybe the pendulum will swing back one of these days. I think people were happier living by the old-fashioned values, but it would be hard to
sell our youth on that, I suspect. Still, most people do try to live meaningful and worthwhile lives! FROM JACK: Compromise is a difficult word, because we like to think that our ideas are the right ones. Compromise says that we don't have all of the answers, and that we can learn from one another, even from those who seem quite different from us. That's not to say that we shouldn't stand firm in our beliefs, but that we should be open to exploring the path less travelled.