Part Four: Getting Along with People

When Elizabeth II meets someone her demeanor does not say, "I'm the Queen and I get a lot of deference, so if you're smart you'll give the right bow, and talk softly from a suitable distance." No, she doesn't even think that. (You do know people, however, who have presented themselves to you in that key I bet.) On two occasions I received a letter, in response to mine, from the Queen via her 'Lady in Waiting.' It was an actual letter, signed, and related to what I had written to her. I'm not kidding myself that the Queen gives a fig for my opinions, but I am inspired by the amount of time and energy she arranges to have expended on her behalf, energy all devoted to creating good will.

How much time and energy and money do we spend on creating good will in our lives? Outside of family, let's say. Family is safe. But do we stick our neck out, outside of family? I've confessed here, and offered proof, that there are times when I deliberately create ill-will, that I enjoy stirring things up. Maybe it's time I stopped doing that? found another way!

So, allow me to make the leap to declaring that getting along with people depends on our intention to get along well with people. Without that intention it's going to be the same old same old, 'I'll be nice to them if they are nice to me.'  That's not going to cut it; it requires that we take the initiative and make the first move. If two people simultaneously make the first move there's the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

Tell me true, is this too 'Goody two shoes,' too Bugs Bunny? The genius of "What's up Doc?" is that it's a friendly opener, a humorous taking of the initiative. Another variation, probably via W.C. Fields, master comedian, goes "You live around here? I've seen you in the neighborhood," delivered in a slow drawl as an obvious lie, but made up for by the good intention to get acquainted.

Barry