Eric’s Sunday Sermon; Return It Forward!

Now if your life is just all cozy and set up just right for you that is a fine thing. Here we have set up life in an attempt to do just that. As you set your ways you set your ways.

I was sitting in a bar with an old acquaintance and the chap said I was a good man. Now this man looked askance and queried “what kind of statement is that to a scoundrel like me?” Well he replied “You made the waitress blush with your kindness and complimented the bartender on his shirt and then you asked kindly for our table against the wall.” “These are good things and you do them naturally”.

The reply came after I had a swig of the best Beer ever made. It is called Clausthaler. God kind of cut off the harder stuff back in ’04. Fine with me as I am crazy without it. A couple tries that did not end well. It was time to be honest. (Clausthaer is the oldest brewed nonalcoholic beer and we endorse it here)

“Buddy I am not nice to them and shell out the love for any other reason except to get it back, I buy love with my love, not a heavy price.” The man took a heavy sip of the triple shot of Old Bushmills. We just stared away for a moment or maybe 10. There was no hurry.

This feller had an Irish Brogue accent that could slice through a steak. Met him down Sidney way, we call it “Down Under” which makes no sense at it is just high above as Canada. People are strange.

So this man would not let sleeping dogs lie. He pushed on. “Now Dierker you are a fool but I am not. Giving out kindness in order for a return is not kindness at all. It would not ever be kindness if a return was expected”. He lit up his pipe and began to get a sly grin. And so did I. Cheers and another long silence.

Man my beer tasted good with some cheese and a Prosciutto deal. Crackers not so good. This some kind of Dijon Mustard fantastic, like an Apple Cider touch – I digress, pardons.

“What do you want” he demanded. It was a perfect set up. “I would like your companies kindness in return for my peoples”. He laughed so hard he spit up his last sip all over the table.

The man then declared that we go to another “joint”. Of course this was not in my agenda. He replied as I refused, that the music was fantastic and the architecture and stained glass windows were exquisite. He said “When in Seville go to church”. He had “trumped” me, the deck was stacked as he knew how much I loved visiting churches. How would this fare with my negotiations for Internet Service in Spain. He was playing me. Perhaps he was being kind to me. So I would be kind back? Makes one wonder how that works.

We walked into the “church joint” and grabbed middle pew seats, only about 200 folks in what could hold 500. The stained glass Stations of the Cross I read were 200 years old. The all lady choir I thought would be in a Muslin were in a mixed Chiffon that was an off color of blue. Wow! The sermon only about 12 minutes but the choir about 45 minutes. I mess with Spanish so the songs were fantastic. My Irish friend got them, not so much.

He started speaking of making the deal and I punched him hard in the arm. Being a good Irish Catholic he got the point. By the way, I am not Catholic but love the space and love. Service over and kind of a letdown feeling. But coffee and Paella filled the void. Couple hundred US dollars and we were swooned over. I wonder how that works with nuns. Never miss the chance to eat mid Spain Paella. So time to leave we reckoned. He needed more whiskey. I never asked him about Protestant whiskey and Catholic – seems there is a difference. Go figure that one.

There was this bridge we walked onto. I have no remembrance of name. I called the river Guadalupe but I seem to remember Guadalquivir. That seems Portuguese to me, but again go figure. We argued quite well on percentages and access and freedom of access. We already knew each other’s position so it was more for prudence than actual outcome. Our people got together the next day with our notes and pounded it out within two days. Fantastic.

Business is not a contract. Business is shaking hands and so we are pleased to get to the sermon.

My wife is not pleased with our situation. It would appear more with hers than with mine. I have a husband responsibility. Plain and simple and not even an inkling of a doubt. We as men do not solve problems for our ladies. Bad idea. We as men do not tell our ladies what to do. Rude. But as above explained we give kindness. In my small world of opinion I mostly think that is the same with children. Love them and give them kindness and the contract with love is met. Not really an option. Do it the other way 200 times and find out. I have the wounds.

Now on the inverse. Men should always let ladies tell them what to do and how to solve problems. Again that is our job. Now we agree from time to time knowing the directives may be skewed. “How to clean a rain gutter?” But just do it right and all is good and the chicken is frying.

Now I was beat pretty hard once just being nice to a stranger lady. Some men don’t get that. I was hurt bad. Hihihi you should have seen the other guy! Never met an ER nurse I didn’t like, and I have met a few.

So let us get back to kindness and what I like to call the “kicky back” pretty clear. Giving out kindness and love and gratitude will normally get you some back. Some call that payback. They miss the whole divine nature of love.

No, no and heck no! If you all give out love and someone gives it back, you have blessed them. My children let me love them back no matter and that what as do my wives do. Brothers and sisters let me love them back and like old friends the same.

It just isn’t about the big old return on investment it is about allowing another to give back. Has a true woman ever felt better than giving love to her child?

You see this love thing is a two way street. It is not acceptable to only give love. It is essential to receive love. Those who say “how do you do” are really saying that “I love you”. (That’s what Old Pops Louis is saying – what a wonderful world)

We get to love but if we are wise we let others make it a wonderful place by accepting theirs. What a fantastic place where we let others give us their love. What a great place where an old lady can give out love to her neighbor and it is blessed by the other.

Now let us go pour it out friends!!! We have never won. Love has won.