A Pair of White Hibiscus
Good Morning, God!
A friend loaned me the book, Essential Manners for Couples, by Peter Post (yes, the great grandson of The Emily Post.)
Actually, it was more like an “assignment,” so I have been dutifully chugging along, about one third through. Still, I know it is one of those simple books that everyone ought to read.
As the author puts it, the book is about: Ensuring that you always treat each other with consideration, respect and honesty. Those sure are the Big Three of Relationships. In fact, Respect is SO important that Consideration and Honesty seem more like add-ons. In fact, I hope he has a separate chapter on honesty as that can be a devastating “virtue” when we forget that honesty is best coated with vulnerability.
While the book is intended for couples, many of the ideas work for relationships in general. We are immeshed in such a complex and movable web of relationships that I am pretty sure we could all use some help. I’m pretty sure, God, that most of the time we don’t even see the small momentary contacts we have with others as “relationships.” But they are. And they can be important.
You let me experience that potential importance when Kit and I were flying home from Princeton. I got into a conversation with a woman, seated next to me, who lives in Colorado and it became deep enough that we exchanged addresses. She sent a letter and I sent a card and then Mango Days, our Patty’s book. She has sent back two cards and even bought the book AntiCancer that I recommended. Who would have guessed?
It makes me think of the White Hibiscus bush outside our door. I focused on two hibiscus “together” but, in truth the bush is FULL of hibiscus — all connected, knowing it or not.
Story teller,
A Moment with God 
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