Shade Tree Wisdom 6/5/08

Nice breeze this morning, so the walking was pleasant, cool, invigorating. And the school year ends tomorrow.

Graduation time. Time for celebrations and offering of best wishes and words of advice for the newly minted graduates.

So, this morning one column suggests paying attention to the handshake. Did you look the principal in the eye when you shook his or her hand and smile?. Funny, we take handshakes for granted, and yet this columnist claimed studies show it can give people impressions about a person. If the handshake is firm and direct, and the person makes eye contact and smiles directly, it means sincerity and makes a fine first statement. But, if the handshake is careless, sloppy, sort of lukewarm and one glances over the shoulder or down to the floor, it makes a bad impression.

So the advice is, stick your hand out horizontally, have a warm smile on your face, and shake once, firmly, and release.

But enough.

I was thinking this morning of the advice parents offer during goodbyes that happen when the son or daughter leaves home for university, or work elsewhere. One that sticks in my mind is something my own father said. He warned us about “Mitmachen”. It’s a German word that covers so many things. At root, it means doing something because everybody else is doing it”. Going with the crowd. Dad used to picture the end of that trail, it usually ended in doing something stupid. Solomon said, “My son, if sinners entice you, consent thou not”. Prov. 1,10 Don’t go that way. Do your own thinking.

“Avoid it”, said Solomon (Prov. 4,15). It is better to think about an action beforehand. What is the end of it. What does it mean? To what purpose. So many questions. But, the point is, ask them before doing what “everybody is doing”.

And that’s really a sound word for us at any time. We’ve all done things, dumb thing, stupid things, even hurtful things, because we did not first ask what the end of our act or word will be. Think, then act, is the word from Solomon. Then he says, “My son, attend to my words. . .keep them in your heart. . .keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life”. Prov 4,20.22.23.

GPD 6/5/08