Winning Words 2/18/11
“We are always the same age inside.” (Gertrude Stein) Picasso once painted a portrait of Stein, and someone remarked that it didn’t look much like her. Pablo retorted,: “Don’t worry, it will.” Few people that I know appreciate the photos that are taken of them. We see ourselves with different eyes. Burns asked to see ourselves as others see us. Maybe we should try to see others beyond outward appearances. ;-) Jack

FROM JD IN MINNESOTA: JACK, DON'T YOU EVER SLEEP? LIKE ME WHAT ARE YOU DOING SENDING AN E-MAIL AT THIS EARLY HOUR. FROM JACK: I try to send out my Winning Words early, so that people see them when they turn on their computer. I didn't think that people in Minnesota would be up at 4 am. Oops, that's right, you have to get ready to go ice fishing.

FROM BS IN ENGLAND: How true! FROM JACK: How old are you....on the inside? I think that most of us who use computers are younger than we look. MORE FROM ENGLAND: On the inside, about 15------but on the outside 67eh!! FROM JACK: 15 can be a good age. So can 67, depending on the circumstances.

FROM PZ IN MICHIGAN: I like this one, a lot! FROM JACK: By and large, I've discovered that what we like (a lot) tells a lot about what kind of person we are (on the inside). MORE FROM PZ: Yup. I've found that I learned a lot from practicing patience.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: Heck, I'm now trying to see the whole church beyond outward appearances. Are all of us graying people the same age inside and are the 40's and younger able to see us and we to see them? Great WW again today especially yours that we should try to see others beyond outward appearances. Going to try to do my best. FROM JACK: At carnivals they often have someone trying to guess the weight and age of people. Maybe today (for the fun of it) we should try to guess the inside age of the people we meet.

FROM MT IN PENNSYLVANIA: A long time ago, the spry 90+ year old father of a longtime friend of mine came into the room and announced (in strong Greek accent) "Inside, I am still a young man. But...I look into the mirror and I say "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!??!!!" FROM JACK: I've got the solution for staying young. HIDE THE MIRRORS!

FROM J&PL OF 54: Jack, I always read, your "Winning Words". When a picture is taken of me and I don't expecially think it particularly flattering, I just put it away for 5 years, then have reexamined it and "low and behold", I look pretty good. That happens pretty often when you have lived as many years as I. FROM JACK: It's what's on the inside that really counts. BTW, if you were to choose the "best" picture of you, what year would you choose? I'd find it hard to do.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: This is a very true Winning Words. When I look in the mirror I don't see the
person I think I am. In fact, I have been down with a bad cold and today I am thankful you don't
have one of those cameras on your computer! :-) I went on a tour the other day with my grandsons to Morley's Candy Factory. I bumped into a guy I graduated with and hadn't seen him in over 25 years. He was so nice and kind in high school and was still the same! (I had seen photos of him over the years as he was a Police Chief in a city around us. In high school, I helped him a lot in Speech Class!) It was wonderful to see
him again. Aged yes, but changed, no. FROM JACK: I like the Jimmie Durante song, "Young at Heart." I've heard of some senior citizens groups that have chosen "Young at Heart" as their name.
Fairy tales can come true
It can happen to you
If you're young at heart
Or it's hard, you will find,
To be narrow of mind
If you’re young at heart
You can go to extremes
With impossible schemes
You can laugh when your dreams
Fall apart at the seams
And life becomes exciting with each passing day,
And love is either in your heart… or on its way.
Don't you know that it's worth
Every treasure on earth
To be young at heart?
For, as rich as you are,
It's much better by far
To be young at heart
And, if you should survive
To a hundred and five,
Look at all you'll derive
Just by being alive!
Now, here is the best part:
You have a head start
If you are amongst the very young...
At heart

FROM MOLINER CF: On FaceBook, I use my high school Football Team portrait. That's still me. FROM JACK: As long as it's in your memory bank, it's still you. That's one of the joys of remembering. MORE FROM CF: Recently, the Obit column of the Times carried one for a well known gentleman in Davenport. It had a baby picture captioned, "EARLY PHOTO." He either had a great sense of humor or never grew up. FROM JACK: That's one I've never heard of before. I choose: "He had a great sense of humor."

FROM CWR IN B'MORE: ....hope that you can retrieve this. FROM JACK: You're referring to Pam
Peterson's, "Memory a- Spoof". Funny! Yes, memory problems can sometimes be funny...or poignant, depending on the situation. Mary and I saw "Cats" when it played at a theater in Toronto...sitting in the 4th row. Thrilling - especially the singing of Memory.

FROM DMF IN MINNESOTA: Who is Burns? FROM JACK: The Scottish poet, Robert Burns, wrote a famous poem, "To a Louse." The whole poem is worth reading. One verse goes:
O would some Power the gift to give us
To see ourselves as others see us!
It would from many a blunder free us,
And foolish notion:
What airs in dress and gait would leave us,
And even devotion!

FROM DP IN MINNESOTA: Oh, absolutely, YES ! YES ! YES ! FROM JACK: Are you sure about that?

FROM GUSTIE MARLYS: I am one that does not like to be in pictures! I just called my friend in California last night. We both decided that we did not feel nearly as old as we are! I guess age is in the mind! FROM JACK: Isn't it great to have a friend like that...who sees us as we "really" are?

FROM CJL IN OHIO: That involves introspection and few of us are willing to do it FROM JACK: Your mother may have said: "Eat your vegetables. They're good for you." Introspection is also good for us, whether we like to do it, or not. MORE FROM CJL: When she told me that, I didn't do much introspection...I just ate. Some
introspection came later

FROM PRPH IN ARIZONA: Picasso was robbed at his home one day and he saw the robbers leave his house. the police asked him to draw a picture of the two robbers. so he did. the next day the police went out and arrested a lawn mower and a bycycle! FROM JACK: I don't that that is true.

FROM BLAZING OAKS: I don't know quite what to make of G. Stein's quote...I feel I am much older inside than I used to be...maybe I just don't get it!~? I think we mature both inside and out, and it's be a shame if we didn't! What am I missing? Anyway, it is certainly helpful, if we can step back, and get a good look at ourselves, and how we appear to others. Probably never perfect this ability fully! Ha! Occasionally a good friend will help us to do that. I mean a REALLY good friend... FROM JACK: I like the Almond Joy/Mounds commercial: "Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don't." That's the way it is with life. Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you're more serious. Sometimes you feel your age. Sometimes you don't.

FROM LB IN MICHIGAN: I've found that as people age, the photos taken when they were younger start looking better and better. FROM JACK: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. CF wrote that he saw the obit of an older man showing his baby picture.

FROM ILLINOIS LIZ: Moliner CF is still as handsome as in his football days. He's a darned great dad, too!
FROM JACK: Good ole number 73!