Categories: uncategorized
Date: 05 January 2004 10:43:21
Had a sweet / strange moment over the New Year. My nickname amongst my friends in St. Andrews is 'Lampy', because I was an undergraduate at the smallest university in Europe at Lampeter, Wales. Hannah, the girlfriend of a friend of a friend, said to me over the New Year, "I thought you got your nickname by 'lamping' people", (apparently this means punching people!), "when I first saw you I really thought I was right."!! Then she said, "But now I think you're really sweet." Which is kind of reassuring, especially as I've never punched anyone in my life and am pretty much a pacifist. The question is, how much time and energy do we waste labouring under misconceptions about people instead of accepting them, creating a space for them be who they are, and possibly making friends with them?
Mentioned the book 'Laughable Loves' by Milan Kundera the other week. It's a collection of short stories that I'm halfway through at the moment. It's (so far) rather good and very thought provoking, especially about the role of power in relationships. Much of Kundera's writing examines the tension between lightness (being 'free' from the complications of commitment in relationships and weight (the burden of the other). I guess with these themes going through my head I was bound to find this piece interesting.
Take care,
DK.