Winning Words 3/28/12
“The one who tells you there is food on your face is your friend.” (Dan Gilbert) One of my favorite Burt Bacharach songs is, ”That’s What Friends Are For,” sung by Dionne Warwick and friends…especially the line, “For good times and bad times.” A friend will offer constructive opinions. I have someone like that. Do you? I think that most of us can relate how a friend has “been there” when we needed him/her. ;-) Jack

FROM HYYOSILVER: Yes - very true. However, did you know that in the Jewish scriptures (I don't remember if it's the Mishnah or the Talmud) it talks about truth and flattery and says that it is not a lie (and thus not a sin) to tell a bride she is beautiful. In fact, the scripture essentially says that you must tell her she is beautiful. So Dan Gilbert, a fellow Jewish person, is totally right - except for that one point.////FROM JACK: Beauty has more than one definition. So does truth. Even we are multi-sided individuals.

FROM SAINT JAMES: That is so true!////FROM JACK: We all have "true" experiences. When I was growing up, there was a magazine called, True Story. I remember it as being far more interesting than today's, People.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I am deeply grateful for my dear friends. I married my best friend. However, I do have some extremely close friends who love me as I am through thick and thin and good and bad times! ////FROM JACK: "Friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship."

FROM SHARIN' SHARON: Someone told me something just last night I am trying to figure out if it was constructive criticism or not. There is a way of saying "There's food on your face and thinking "you slob"" and being in a restaurant, looking in a communicative way at someone's chin or something and touching your own chin to help the person avoid embarrassment and address the situation in a sympathetic way. However a person gets criticism, constructive or destructive, I suppose it does promote change, I suppose the important part is that the words are true, never mind the other stuff-the next person you see won't have to look at the food on your face and help you. Well, mulled this WW over quite a bit. Thanks////FROM JACK: It's the thought that counts. Sometimes our attempts at caring are misinterpreted. There is such a thing as not being on the same wavelength...but that's life.

FROM GM IN MICHIGAN: Yes My wife, for 55 years.////FROM JACK: After 5 1/2 decades, you should have gotten the message.

FROM BLAZING OAKS: At my age, I got a kick out of the quote:"We will be best friends until we are old and senile, then we will be new friends, again!" :-) I love the song That's What Friends Are For, and heartily agree that candid friends are the chocolate chips in the cookies of life! I have been blessed, many times over! They are even more important, after you've lost you best-friend-spouse!! Thanks for the thoughtful WW today! ////FROM JACK: Sometimes chocolate chip cookies have nuts in them.

FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER: "It's friendship, friendship, Just a perfect blendship, When other friendships have been "forgate" Ours will still be great!" ////FROM JACK: Yes, I know that song, and it describes what friendship is about. Your response caused me to look up the source...Written by Cole Porter in the musical, DuBarry Was A Lady." I had forgotten about that...but not the song.

FROM LP IN PLYMOUTH: At work there is a bi-annual survey about employee "engagement" and satisfaction. One question that seems to raise a lot of questions is "do you have a best friend at work?" Perhaps today's WW could be used for interpretation.////FROM JACK: It would be fun if you gave a kind of response like that. Then, again, they might wonder about you. Maybe they already do.////MORE FROM PLYMOUTH: Last summer when I was pregnant and wrestling maternity wear and a big belly I *twice* walked out of the office bathroom with my skirt tucked into my underwear. Thankfully each time someone was friendly enough to tell me before I got too far.////FROM JACK: Too funny.

FROM DS IN MICHIGAN: One of my all time favorite songs as well. Also “You’ve Got a Friend” – James Taylor and others. ;o)////FROM JACK: Yep! Another good one to add to the list of "friend" songs.