Needs, alms and wants

Buddhist monks have a daily ritual in which they spread out, knock on doors with an empty bowl, and get their daily nourishment  of rice through the kindness of strangers. One may think this is begging, but actually, the daily rite is not meant to teach them humility, or keep them thin and well exercised. It is an opportunity for the people answering the doorbell to practice the virtue of giving. The monk is doing them a religious favor.

You learn a lot about people when you need something from them. You find out who is reliable, who is kind, who is giving, and for that matter, who is a friend. Most of what anyone can do for you can be accomplished with only a minor investment. But while self reliance is nice, asking for favors is one heck of a way to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Many years ago, on a morning show in Jersey, a male and female hosts were reviewing the film The Shadow, whose marketing campaign theme was 'What evil lurks in the hearts of men?". And the female presenter commented 'you want to know what evil lurks in a man's heart? Date him!' Or, if you want to spare yourself the time and agony, just ask for a favor.

Good luck!

A picture is worth a thousand words?

The cliche states that "a picture is worth a thousand words." Let't consider and reconsider.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the English language contains over 250,000 of them, and so, without context, pictures won't tell you much.

A picture is a snapshot in time. It is superficial by its nature, covering only two dimensions. It lacks depth, and it certainly lacks a temporal perspective. You have no idea what took place before, what may happen next, or what goes on outside the frame.

If you want a stunning visual, something that is easy to comprehend and absorb, a picture might do. But for perspective, clarity, and an in-depth understanding, the older technology - writing a narrative - can't be replaced.