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FRESHFORD
VILLAGE NEWS (page 12)
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| HONEST
TO A FAULT ...or….. NOT ALWAYS THE BEST POLICY I am not given to finding analogies for sermons in every day living since my normal reaction to life's anachronisms is amusement. However, this morning I was faced with a small situation that, although it amused me, made me reflect on the sourness that invades the souls of people when they are unable to see past a fault. I was bidding for my little immortality by tending the hanging baskets that are on the Old Bakery and which I do with pleasure and not a little pride! At this time of the year they need dead heading every week as well as copious watering and feeding, so I was up my ladder, snipping away and making a colourful pile of petals on the pavement from the discarded blossoms while enjoying the comments of passers-by who kindly stopped to say how lovely they were - all music to my ears because I happily concede that, for me, any "good work" is even better when noticed and praised. Then a lady came along and stopped by my ladder. I looked down with a modest, yet grateful expression already prepared, when she pulled me up in my self-congratulatory tracks by saying "I hope you're going to clean up this mess" Now she was right. I was making litter. But it was sad she could not have leavened her censure with an acknowledgement that it was a pretty litter. After all, would I look after beautifying baskets and leave the place in a mess? What a very acid note she struck and as I snipped away in the sunshine I reflected on the unfortunate ability so many people have to only see the fault. How many times has one been on the receiving end of an unnecessary put-down and how bitter the taste it leaves. Dressed to kill, the comment "pity about the shoes" is the one that colours the evening. A visitor to the garden ignores the splendid borders and only notices the state of the grass, an unbecoming outfit has already been purchased with pleasure - so why ruin the pleasure? I am no Pollyanna and enjoy caustic with the best, but not unnecessarily and pointlessly so. Why only see the downside and what enjoyment is there in pointing it out and spoiling for the sake of it when the shoes, the grass or anything that cannot be constructively rectified is better left unremarked? Of course I cleaned up- but not very graciously. Sonia Follows |