Mar 14, 2021
Hello Good Neighbor,
In this episode, I discuss a few of the thoughts I had after reading an article by one who felt as though their life was full of do's and do not's, all seemingly from a gender perspective. While I understand the words they wrote and have seen some of the ramifications of such a dilemma, I could not comprehend summing up one's life and outlook in such a fashion as they espoused and exhorted others to believe. The mantle, the burden, the perspective they carried were in fact foreign to me. So I decided to look at a counterpart of their statements, something that might make sense of their anger. I'm not dismissing the feelings they felt, I am looking at the aspects of their statements that apply to me, and how I see the world.
We won't all see the world the same way, and I'm aware of this. I came across a man who describes what it means to be a gentleman.
Gentleman, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary:
1. A chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man.
2. A polite or formal way of referring to a man.
The counterpart to a gentleman is a Lady. I'm not talking about the hierarchy of a ruling class, but more so, the term as we see it defined above.
John Walter Wayland describes the characteristics of a gentleman which I see as having validity across the roles of gender and would say in a general sense, as a neighbor.
As we continue to explore what it means to be neighborly, I hope that you find this episode compelling in that, it acknowledges that we all have a way that we view the world, our environment and external influences have a profound impact on how we express our thoughts, words, and actions. Are they of goodwill or self-preservation?
Stating one's belief is an exercise of our free will and freedom to do so, with ramifications that follow. Are we building up or tearing down? Are we stating our perception of the truth or issuing a rallying cry based on hurt and fear? What change do we seek when we share our opinions?
Do we do so in a gentlemanly and ladylike fashion? Who defines what is the best way to address our concerns?
This episode again sites my worldview and the source of my beliefs. They are held by some, and not by others. We have a place to share our views and this community is a neighborhood that is growing.
We'll continue to explore various conversations and topics, and I look forward to hearing from you the listener.
You can email your thoughts to mystory@hellogoodneighbor.com or come and join our Facebook group Hello Good Neighbor.
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Thank you again for listening, I read each and every review that comes in and they mean a lot to me. The Hello Good Neighbor podcast is here to explore "all things neighborly" and to help you on your journey of being a Good Neighbor.
Tony S