Actually, P, you are one of the bravest
and most gracious people I know.
You have a deep courtesy, I feel.
What generosity of spirit there must be in your to look past incendiary tone or word choice and be so thoughtful as you are, to invite more dialogue, to be willing, as you seem so often to be willing, to keep doing dialogue even when it's difficult, to get at more truth.
I admire you. Your thinking is so respectful of realities.
Even when you get mad,to me there's something clean and honest in the way you express it. You don't "spew" or go toxic. You don't name-call, you just say WOOF! It's clear, then it's over.
(I knew an Irish Wolfhound when I had a job painting fences out in the country years ago. He was a very funny dog the size of a pony. He caught on that most people were taken aback by his size and deep roaring bark--though in fact, he was gentle as a lamb. But new people would throw up their arms and back off going AAACKK! when he would go lumbering up to say hello.
So...Paddy (I didn't name him!) would hide in the boxwoods at the end of the long drive when he saw a car coming down the road, instead of standing out in the yard barking like most dogs would. He would lie low until the VERY last minute, when the poor person had left their car, shut the door, and was already past the halfway point up the path to the front door...and THEN Paddy would suddenly fling himself through the bushes and put his face in their face and bark (reminded me of the sound of a very large engine coming to life) wooowoofroarroar and the poor person would just about keel over.
It was terrible behavior, but it was so funny that we (the farm owner's family & summer help) would just about die laughing watching Paddy set them up. It still makes me laugh 30 years later. The owner was just devastated when Paddy died.)
Portia, ummm. I don't think I'm comparing you to an Irish wolfhound, but I'm not entirely sure!
I've gotta go, check in tomorrow night.
Hops
