Love and Friendship
Day 98: Thursday, June 16, 2011Like I often do, I got in trouble (with Ian again) for saying too much on Talking Barnacles today… I just wrote what happened- the way it really happened- but sometimes facts aren’t always most important, especially when it comes to love or friendship…
When I first moved to China to live with Madi, we would often fight about how bad and corrupt her government was and I would always do my best to prove it… but one time after I had clearly had and was proudly waiting for my apology, she asked me something so simple and yet so profound, which was:
Why do you always have to be right?
With only eight words, she struck down the very concept, which I had always believed the world was based upon- how I had always thought the world worked- because in her subtle Asian ways, this time she was right. Here I was dissing her country and her government with my so-called righteous/politically correct beliefs when in actuality there was nothing that she could do, and all I was doing was just hurting her.
Relationships aren’t based on facts, but on feelings and understanding and caring… and in my righteous American way, I couldn’t see that until now.
So basically what I wanted to say to Ian, Madi, and everyone else, who I hurt unintentionally in the past, was…
Sorry.
Pat Pat, keep up the writing. I've been following your blog every day from Australia and now I'm actually in Tokyo. I've found it inspirational, and motivates me to keep up my own photography. Being brutally honest is what sets you apart from other writers and although it may offend some of your friends, that is life!
ReplyDeleteCan I ask what service you are using when you mentioned you send your photos away to another part of Japan to get processed?
Thanks!!
Hello for the fist time.
ReplyDeleteIm not sure if it is appropriate to ask you here but please let me because I really want to know..
Do you teach English anywhere besides "English For Artists"? Since there is no way I can get off work before 7, I have been wondering if you do or not.
Thanks a lot.
Yu
I think you have been kinda sensitive because of the girl.
hello stinky butt and yu,
ReplyDeleteplease write to me at my gmail, then i can email u the info!
hellopatpat@gmail.com
thank u for writing both of u.
-p
i was watching a show about new police methods in the UK to extract witness statement because there really is no-one who sees what happened - as it really happened. but everyone thinks they did.
ReplyDeletealso, the phrase "why do you always have to be right" can mean "why do you always have to think you are right."