Contributed by Columnist Sarah Hudson Pierce
If you want to make enemies, talk about politics to your friends and family members, who are devout members of either party, unless they have thick skins, you know what I mean. You can talk about the weather, but be careful talking about the dangers of tap water, and avoid pushing your religious views.
The bottom line first — if you wish to share religious views be kind to others — enough said about that except the Bible says “pure and undefiled religion is visiting the orphans and widows in their afflictions and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
That is a mouth full!
That’s what our young minister did.
He reached out to the poor and neglected.
Now to tap water — “according to ABC news brain-eating amoeba have been found in 2 water plants in 2017 and they say as long as long as you avoid getting it in your nose you will be ok, otherwise the amoeba can go to the brain.”
Isn’t that a hoot that anyone would possibly drink water with brain-eating amoeba in it?
My idea is this, I don’t think people drink much tap water except in coffee.
I like my water to taste good!
Now to cover talking politics to your friends and family who are devout members of either party. Feel out people first because some people are too easily offended by divergent views — even though we still have freedom of speech in our country or so I read.
We should cherish our friends. I have lost 4 close friends in the past few years.
The best advice is this “taste your words” before you speak.
Back in the Sixties we were taught in church to ask about what we say “is it true, will what we say hurt or help?”
Now it seems that anything goes!
How far have we slid to have come so far!
Back to tap water: we need to be careful about how we guard our health– if we have loving family members and friends who may want us to be around a long time as my son in New Hampshire does. My life may have taken a turning point in August when he was home on vacation. He said, ” Mom, I am so glad you are still alive.”
His father died, at 74, four years ago.
At 1700 miles away, he wants me to stay around as long as possible.
Those words gripped my soul and got me into intermittent fasting, which he has been practicing for two years, which I understand is good for diabetic conditions such as ours.
My beloved primary care doctor may have questioned how long it would take for me to get serious.
Though I may have a long way to go, at 72, I know sneaking around, eating Blue Bell ice cream won’t cut it!
We shouldn’t push our ideas too hard — perhaps just a word here and there will do. Maybe our life will be the greatest teacher of all.
I have two dear older friends who will each be 101 in December and we want to keep them around as long as possible because they have so much wit and wisdom to share.
What else can I say?
We need to live and talk as though today will be our last day because it very well could be.
Contact Sarah at [email protected]