Winning Words 6/11/12
“People are the same all over the world.”  (Barbara Ann Kipfer)  This is one thought from the book, 8,789 Words of Wisdom, which was given to graduates yesterday at church.  Although my world travels have been limited, I’ve “visited” many countries by meeting people from other lands.  But I feel unfulfilled.  As Rudyard Kipling wrote: “The first condition of understanding a country is to smell it.”    ;-)  Jack

FROM PASTY PAT:  Yes, yes, yes --- at least from the little bit (19 countries now) that I've seen ////FROM JACK:  Are there really 19 different smells? 

////PAT'S RESPONSE:  I never thought about it before, but there are.  And I can 'bring them back' when I think of a place or an event.  Weird. ////JACK:  Then Kipling must be right.

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  Just had a phone call with my sister and she told me she doesn't like to travel to "see sights" but to "feel" the place. Probably includes smelling it. I don't agree with Barbara Ann Kipfer. When our daughter and her boyfriend (living in Houston) visited Detroit they were delighted to see so many brick homes and also that yards were not enclosed by fences. Kris said it reminded him of his original home in Poland. Houston is a little different but it also is still "home" to them. Maybe "People are the same all over the world" in that we all are at some point charmed and delighted by diversity but we all like to "feel" like we belong somewhere and we just then look at what we have in common and not focus so much on our differences. Maybe that's the human trait that helps us to adapt and form communities. ////FROM JACK:  The word, "same," can have various interpretations...similar, but not the same.

FROM MY FLORIST:  Without question Kipling is one of my favorites.  In fact, I have successfully encouraged a few small additions to the curriculum at St. Mary’s the English department.  The one that I am most happy about is the memorization of the poem “IF” by Brother Kipling.   You might also be amused to hear that my oldest son Aaron just graduated from St. Mary’s and as tradition requires he chose a quote for his year book.  He chose “Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything” words to live by from Wyatt Earp .////FROM JACK:  I like your choice and Aaron's, too...maybe Aaron's best, because I haven't seen it before.

FROM ILLINOIS LIZ:  Some countries don't smell so good... I remember public transit when I was a student in Rome. The food sure smelled good, tho!  My friend, John, & I r "armchair travelers." We joke about friends who have traveled extensively, & seemingly learned nothing from their experiences. Worldly is a state of mind... not stamps on a passport.////FROM JACK:  Just like in the USA, I suppose the smell depends on where you are standing.  I always remember the smell of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Mosinee, Wisconsin.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  Some are friendlier than others. Like Ireland.////FROM JACK: "In a purple field down Wicklow way, there's a fragrance to be bottled."  (From The Irish Times magazine)  Did you find this to be true? 

FROM CJL IN OHIO: RK was right.  You can be transported in the mind but there is no substitute for the "smell"////FROM JACK:  I wonder if Kipling ever "smelled "lutefisk?

FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  The second condition is to speak the language.  I'll never forget the "honeydippers" who used to pass our compound in the morning when we were outdoors, at attention, for roll call.////FROM JACK:  Did you ever learn any of their language?////PFC:  Very little."Very Good. Very Bad. Count to 10." As an 18 year old, that wasn't on my "A" list. Fortunately, they spoke some English. Had a rickshaw race back to the compound one night weir the Marines pulling the rickshaws. Regular drivers laughed all the way until we insisted they pay us.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  They may be the same all over the world, but I'm sure they are very different too.  Our bucket list still has a long line of travel sites.  There are some wonderful "smells" out there yet.

FROM CS ON THE WAY TO SPAIN:  We had a psychiatrist friend who always said, "folks are folks are folks".We are leaving Saturday for Spain hoping to get a good feeling and "smell" of the culture and the place. I'm excited to go to Barcelona to see the Gaudi architecture,to go to the Prado in Madrid to see Velasquez and Goya, to the Reina Sophia to see Picasso's Guernica ; and we will also have a tour to Granada and the Alhambra where several ancient cultures and religions lived together peacefully!////FROM JACK:  I hope you folks will enjoy meeting some new folks.