Politeness

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Politeness is one interesting word. According to the dictionary definition it has to do with showing good manners in both behavior and words. It has to do with being courteous, considerate, civil, gentle, and respectful. Being polite requires the practical application of awareness of others. The opposite is the antonyms of the previous description. I understand that the opposite of politeness could be summarized in one word: ‘jerk’. I prefer a more polite definition I used several times before to describe that behavior or type of person if you will: ‘an contemptibly obnoxious person’.

I learned through the years to observe people’s behavior from an analytical standpoint with no intention of judging but to seek understanding. Beyond academic level, naturalization, culture, position, type of job, age, religion, or other social categorizations. I like to see people. Everything else is sometimes an excuse to hide what we really are. In my daily observations I see all kinds of behavior. If you ask me, politeness is like learning to draw, paint, sculpt, learning a sport, playing a musical instrument, or singing. All these things can be learned but not all come naturally to us. You can tell when someone is doing things mechanically because they practice or because it is how it is done in an acceptable manner, but it is not something that flows from that person. Take it from me. I have pictures as a kid with many musical instruments, I went to music lessons, tried to learn how to play the saxophone, the bass, and the guitar, and nothing. I don’t make me tell you about my singing.

How to be polite can be learned, and should be learned. Better yet it should be taught. My family knows that we can’t order food in a restaurant or even a ‘drive-thru’ without the proper acknowledgement of the person serving us at that moment. You say the “good morning”, or whatever applies, followed by “How are you?”, “May I”,”please”, and “thank you”. This is not a script. It needs to flow and it needs to be real with everyone. Sadly our society is lacking the capacity of politeness because each person is focused inwardly and seeking only their own personal satisfaction and selfish desires. That is what flows naturally through many people. I understand that certain traces of personality and insecurities that come with antecedents and social upbringing may play a part in how people relate to one another, but still that is no excuse for not being polite.

Politeness can be learned and should be taught as I mentioned before. In a society where people only love themselves it makes a great difference not only for social health, but for physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Good manners matter. Some people fake it and others follow the rules mechanically trying to let it flow, while others are ‘naturally’ polite. Others rely upon a greater source of ‘power’ to relate to people. As people we have many flaws and fall in the behaviors that satisfy our selfish nature…

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

Galatians 5:22-33

One of Those Weeks

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19607_10150561253524956_1804358799561093639_nHave you ever had one of those weeks? You might know what I am talking about here. There are weeks when a lot of things decide to happen together. Last week was one of those weeks for me when so many great things happened together that I am still trying to recount them all. I am so thankful for each one of this blessings. Among all those blessings, I had the opportunity to teach three nights, three different subjects: basic computer skills, painting, and sculpting. Of course, on each one many other teaching opportunities came along.  My wife says that no matter what I am doing I find the chance to teach something. I can’t stop myself from teaching something, because I learn through teaching.

11073071_10150564957424956_9088131320696504778_nBeing an educator is a challenge but it is also an amazing blessing. It doesn’t matter what the subject is. In ancient Greece the concept of subjects was technically the concept of branches of practice but it came from the three of knowledge and had to be connected to its trunk and rooted in practical life. Subjects were not isolated concepts. Specializations, so to speak, had a purpose in service. Switching subjects was a continuum. Math and music could be having a discussion together, and philosophy could assist the conversation inviting science to share its point of view while a poet put to rhythmic speech the historical account of the piece of art being created with the brush or under the chisel.

I see knowledge as one unlimited supply of interconnected events, points of views, interpretations, results from experience and experimentation, explanations of our surroundings, assumptions of what we don’t know based on the things we do know, and abstract descriptions of an idea. As I explained to one of the participants: “Everything we see, hear, and say is an abstraction of an idea”. Letters are the abstraction of the idea of a sound that we translate into a symbol, but that sound itself is an abstraction of the idea of that particular sound. Objects are abstractions of ideas producing symbols we get attached to. The object perish, and the symbol changes its value based on time and context, but the idea remains. Sadly, humans attach themselves to so many perishable abstractions instead of taking hold of the idea. Even more so, we often forget to rely on the source of life who put the idea into visual and palpable realization with just speaking.

11150225_10150566159194956_8952423942549070099_nOn that thought, I begin my week still in awe and spiritually refreshed after witnessing how 43 individuals made a profession of faith last night through baptism at City Church. It is such a fulfilling experience to hear each story towards transformation. It is also great to share this experience in community with a bunch of strangers that become family in Christ. This week we just began can be one of those weeks too if only we focus on being thankful, on keeping the faith with patience to see the fulfillment of the promise of God.

April is almost coming to an end but there are still things to do and classes to teach. I continue the computer class at The Literacy Center of Milford, and if you are missing on all the fun of the painting and sculpting parties, we are going to be sculpting at The Grove in New Haven, Friday, April 24. The events for the month of May are listed also so you can RSVP with time. You can also request private sculpting and painting parties, as well as art lessons.