Jack’s Winning Words 3/12/18
“One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives.”  (Euripides)  Netflix says it’s surprised
by the popularity (especially among millennials) of reruns of the 90s sitcom, Friends.  Is it escapism?  “I’d like to live like that with six close friends…real friends, not digital ones…in a simpler, less complicated time.”  Maybe every generation is looking for…friends!  We are truly blessed when we have a family who can also be friends.  I don’t need a TV rerun.    ;-)  Jack

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I see that as a. Major benefit of a place like Maple Village...it provides easy access to a lot of friends...====JACK:  I remember when Maple Village was just an empty lot and a dream.  I've now made many visits there and am happy to see that some dreams do come true.

FROM SF: So you have met my family...hehe!-----JACK:  I've heard of some of the others (and you can be proud), but I've only met the ONE!====SF:  Yeah, you met the good one!!====JACK: He told me that YOU were the good one."  I tend to believe that.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  Maybe they are looking for real “talking” friends instead of all their “electronic” talking…maybe they don’t realize the importance of communicating verbally with friends one on one or 5 on 5 rather than all the silent conversations they experience.  I heard on a news report that some teens are shutting off their electronic devices – can we only hope this will happen?  At Walmart Friday I watched a dad pushing a cart with one hand, texting or playing a game with another on his cell phone and this young daughter standing in the cart balancing herself precariously next to the edge.  He wasn’t paying attention to her or possible dangers all so he could be entertained.  Or eating in restaurants and seeing parents texting and ignoring the ‘family’ time sitting in front of them.  We are blest to have a family who are friends in all generations!  Have a 23 year old granddaughter coming to spend a few days of her spring break with us!  Can’t wait for the conversing!  Thanks for this silent chat good friend!====JACK:  When Mary needed home care, we were interviewing potential helpers.  One of the candidates was a young person who continued to check her iPhone for messages during the process, diverting her eye contact from us to the phone, while still talking.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Makes one wonder about Eueripides' family members!  I love my "bestie" but family would still come first in love and friendship. Lucky me, I guess!  I think a lot of young people are becoming very cautious about what they put on face book, any more. I notice less negativity and more positive comments, which is heartening. But the loss of a phone is major to most kids (and probably adults!) My g.daughter was lamenting the loss of her phone in a rock climbing descent, as it fell from her back pocket.  I was just glad it wasn't her taking the fall!====JACK:  I was just thinking (and smiling) at today's iPhone people being transported back to "party line" phones and having to wait until someone had hung up until they could call the number they wanted.  Talk about frustration.  Did you ever make a telephone using two cans and a long string?====OAKS:  We did...there were a lot of kids in our neighborhood, so can't remember who concocted them, but you really could "hear" from one length to the other!====JACK:  And, did you ever play the game, Telephone?

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Sometimes friends are more loyal than relatives.  At least it has happened to me.  Sometimes relatives aren’t friends at all but people who came into our lives through other relatives.  That’s ok but they aren’t the ones closest to us.  They aren’t around us enough to get to really know us well as our closest friends do!  They both have their place in our lives.
====JACK:  What a blessing to have a friend, relative or not.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  It would be hard to think of a life without family and friends!====JACK:  So then, no need for Netflix for you!

FROM DR J IN OHIO:  I am truly blessed with wonderful friends too! ====JACK:  Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The only way to have a friend is to be one."  Old-time comedian, Jimmy Durante would crack a joke and then say, "I got a million of 'em."  You could probably say the same thing about the number of friends you have.