More on Friendship
My old friend replied to what I'd written:
I just don't know what to say. I appreciate what you said, but I could have said the same about you. I remember well our times together, and our long conversations. I can't think of anyone else that I talked with like that.As for unwise choices, I think we are all culpable there. What is youth, if not a time for foolishness? Anyway, we survived, and we wised up, so maybe our foolishness played a role in that process.
As to being smart, you, after all, were the Valedictorian. I ran second, maybe in part because of unwise choices I made at the time. You might remember that I was a little undisciplined. And unwise, which doesn't sound very smart to me.
I believe that anyone who read your description of us, and me, would admire you. You write so well, and that is no accident. You've worked hard for a long time to become a good writer.
I think of you a lot, though my work life has kept me from writing regularly. When I see that scary stuff on the news, I wish that you and Sun-Ae and the kids could come back.
Hopefully I'll be able to back off of business a little, after forty years in the wine business, and be better and checking in with you. In the meantime, please remember that I'm out here, and that I care about you, and our friendship. Please take care of yourself, and don't kick that bucket for a long time. And if I could ever be helpful in any way please call me.
posted by Horace Jeffery Hodges @ 9:28 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
"...and we wised up, so maybe our foolishness played a role in that process."
去去去中知 行行行裏覺
거거거중지 행행행리각.
Very roughly: go-go-going is knowledge; move-move-moving is enlightenment. All you do brings some sort of wisdom.
(Here.)
But only if we survive the process.
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
I knew who you were referring to in your first Friendship post and I was jealous...Just Kidding! You and "B" had a unique and strong bond we all recognized and respected. I look back on our early formative years and wonder how so many of us did survive. Most of my memories are of how close we all were as a class, some are bittersweet, and I am sure all are tinged/softened with time and age. Continued good wishes to you and all of our classmates.
Jay
You were a good friend, too, Jay. I just didn't realize that until I'd matured a lot more. I now feel everyone in our class is a friend!
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
I was blessed to have two older brothers who were, and are brilliant. One the other hand, maybe I was cursed because it made me seem dumber.
Tim Hodges
The only way to truly outshine my brilliant performance as Salem's answer to Thales of Miletus is to crash into TWO garbage cans simultaneously while 'read-walking' one's way back to the library!
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
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