Lessons Learned Slowly

Map indicating locations of Botswana and South...

Map indicating locations of Botswana and South Africa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

More than a week since my last blog, although I have had some ideas for some posts but am spending more time reading these days.  A few weeks ago I asked one of the librarians to recommend to me some authors.

I am enjoying a series of light mysteries now by Alexander McCall Smith, and presently reading “In the company of Cheerful ladies” but this is not the first book of the series, I am up to about book #4.  The books are lighthearted, whimsical, and even droll at times. The author writes in first person as a “traditionally built” Motswana woman in Botswana, Africa. She starts her own detective agency and using kindness, and common sense solves multiple problems that come her way. The book is educational as it unobtrusively teaches you about Botswana, and I often laugh at loud at the simple humor.  Very nice and easy to recommend.  I’d love to hear your impression of this author’s work, and use the highlighted links to learn more about either the book or the author, you may be further intrigued.

What about today’s Subject line? Lessons learned slowly? I shall not delve too deeply but I was challenged recently to “have a speech in my back pocket so that I could be called upon on short notice” and it brought to mind a lesson I learned recently which I will write out and practice soon.

Perhaps I should start that speech by reciting the following:

 

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Chapter One
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost …. I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter Two
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit … but, my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters, by Portia Nelson

About dfolstad58

I live in the South Okanagan. BC. I enjoy reading, exercise, toastmasters. spending time with my son, my daughter, & her husband , and my patient wife. I try to respond personally to every comment on my blog, and in this way I hope to get to know my readers a little bit and and am able to thank readers for their encouragement on what they liked and suggestions on what they would like to see me try in order to improve.
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