96th - Selfish vs selfless

The words "Less" and  "Fish" starkly contrasts between a civilized vs non civilized man..

Being selfish means having the "me' mentality. Selfless means the 'you' mentality. All throughout history, great leaders, men and women alike cultivates and nurtures the 'you' mindset. In order to lead, one should consider 'others needs' first. The crucial turning point is - one has to be able to keep one's bucket full in order to give. After all, you cannot give what you don't have.

Take time for example. If you dont have time for yourself (or not organized or efficient enough) how can you give time to others.

Or self respect. Or even a simple gracious act. If one is nurtured and brought up cultivating these virtues or manners overly practiced at home, then one should be able to outflow these to the outside world.

Everything, not just charity, begins at home. And its not the big acts, is those small ones!

96th	It's unbecoming to Stoop much to ones Meat, Keep your Fingers clean & when foul, wipe them on a Corner of your Table Napkin.

97th - Biting off more than what one can chew

A mouthful...but I fault myself for this behavior too. Not sure if I can get this changed at this stage of my life but then again, realization is the first step to change.

My youngest son observes me as being the guy who likes to overdo. Rightfully so. All my life I have been trained if you will to prove myself. Grew up in an environment of lack. Molded in a society close to the streets. Made friends with the lowest (not wildest) end of the social strata. Yet was able to hold on to my core.

Not perfect. But I beleive all these experiences made me who I am today. I may bite and chew more than I could chew here and there, But hey, if life is a journey, then Im enjoying every bit as I learn more of it everyday.

Never a dull moment!

Bite Off More than You Can Chew” is an idiom which means to do something much more than one can manage. It also indicates taking up some task that is too difficult. The idiom “Bite Off More than You Can Chew” is frequently used in the English language as in their day to daylife, people often try to do more than they can handle and regret biting of more than they could chew. In fact people are all the time taking on too much responsibility with a bid to achieve success or an approving nod from their superiors. When you bite off more than you can chewyou are probably overdoing it as you juggle with the various seemingly manageable tasks but soon realize the difficulty of it all.


97th Put not another bit into your Mouth til the former be Swallowed let not your Morsels be too big for the Gowls.

98 - Be a man of Depth, not simply breadth

Disdain.

Yes, this is the word that first comes to mind whenever I think of this 'multi tasking' word coined purportedly to describe doing 'many things at one time'. The curse of 21st century living? Or the answer to 21st century riddle?

I beg to disagree. And I personally do not believe multi-tasking ever exist!

Nature, including our brains, is wired for humans (some people especially experts might contend and argue) to pursue one task at a time. We breathe one at a time, we walk one step at a time, we speak one word at a time. We type words on a PC one at a time.

There is never any parallel task involved. Even the simplest and most mundane of task by the brain is made one step at a time! We were never designed to be thinking in parallels or duality.

Scripture is solid when it comes to admonishing people in this regards as well. James said "Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple "Yes" or "No." Otherwise you will be condemned."

There is never a NYES!

Unless one thinks of the 'multi tasking' context as when they think they're lounging a beachside sipping pinacolada while out there in their offices slugging it out. Then even this example is not multi tasking, it is plain and simple day dreaming!!

Let our yes be yes and our no be no. This principle, if practiced daily in our mental thoughts, will render vital in our quest for perfection.

After all, people wants more depth, not breadth when dealing with life matters.

98th	Drink not nor talk with your mouth full; neither gaze about you while you are drinking.

99th - Big comes from small

Classic!

Even drinking does'nt escape GW's eyes! Small matters. Small things. Small effort. Small notion. Small insinuations. My opinion? Never ignore the details! After all, the bad guy is lurking somewhere in these small 'things'.

Just like a building, as gigantic and humongously huge they come, if we look down deep, it is simply made up from tiny cement, sand and steel particles and mixtures. Never ignore the details! 

Just like our bodies, small, size, medium built, we too are made up tiny microscopic cells that come together to form a tissue, many tissues to form organs, many organs to form the human body. Never ignore the details!  

Just like a big car, these too are made up of tiny components that come together for a purpose. Never ignore the details!

Just like the small droplets of water from a faucet, leave it overnight and the pail will overflow in the morning. Never ignore the details!

Same with trust. Scripture is clear as well. "How can one be trusted with big things if one cannot be trusted in small things."

In the end, the difference between 'good from great' is IN the small stuff. The additional smaller effort. The extra mile. The 11th hour. The extra OT. The extra sauce. The toppings. The icing. 

It's having this mindset that sets good people from great people.  We as people could benefit if we attend to this principle and go work out daily, and most importantly make it a life long habit to pursue-for perfections sake. 

The caveat? This principle swings in the opposite direction as well. 

Think folks. Measure twice. Cut once..

99th	Drink not too leisurely nor yet too hastily. Before and after drinking, wipe your lips; breath not then or ever with too great a noise, for its uncivil.

100 - Rebuke with Love

Duality?

This appears to the case in this rule. On one hand, GW is saying mind your manners, But if others don't mind, ignore them. Hmmmm, quite a contrast, and I don't agree.

Here's why.

The problem with us people is that we are so focused on what others perceive of us. But when we believe others are on the wrong, we simply back out and curl back to our comfort zones.

Scripture is not silent on this. Clearly it says '  "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over."

Though the specific table manner described by GW does'nt fall into a 'sinful' category, I believe it is worth heeding what scripture has to say. It is one thing to recognize an uncivilized deed, it is another to point it out, and it is best to gently nudge folks towards a better alternative. Of course, approach is everything! Other people would approach in an annoying manner. Others with a subtle touch. But doing nothing is the worst.

WWYD! What would you do ?

100th

Cleanse not your teeth with the table cloth napkin, fork, or knife; but if others do it, let it be done without a peep to them.

101 - Potency

Barbaric-Civilized? Organized-Chaotic? Order-Mess?

Contrasting pictures. Of which brazen images populate our heads once someone blurts out those words. Perhaps our own doing or undoing, Perhaps conjured by our own 'upbringing' thru exposure to media, books, etc. Either way, we all have concepts how we ought to 'live and behave'.

I try to be philosophical for now. What is it to be Human? I will step back for a while.

Consider for one moment and lets observe babies. How they grow up nurtured, fed, dressed, entertained, exercised and most of all nursed. As they grow, parents introduce certain yes, no rules in their household. Babies grow learning the oven is hot, ice is cold, sugar is sweet, salt is well salty. Further down the road they get introduced to the outside world. Now they learn the street language and societal make up.

Question that baffles me is - how on earth would a person, from birth, being molded in the comforts of a home, could end up behaving in a manner that is unbecoming? Forgive me dear readers on my belief, but I blame parents for it all.

Parents, (absent or present) who showed the way for their kids the 'how to's in life. For it is impossible for a person, how he is molded and shaped, not to learn the tricks of the trade from someone (parents) without him or her conjuring the image from young.

The scripture resonates with a reinforcement on this point. The bible says "man by nature is sinful", "Parents need to 'train up a child in the way he should go'.

The question is - how can a parent show the way when they themselves don't know the way? The answer I think is enlightenment. And it comes in the form of how determined a person is in order to go thru this purification process.

The rule here is specific. Not to rinse or gargle in the presence of others. Reason? Uncivilized.

But before one human being can judge civility or otherwise on another, try walking in their shoes or slippers first. !

Its potent.

101st

Rinse not your mouth in the presence of others.

102 - Peer Pressure

I herald in this.

I don't know when, but ever since I started to shoulder more responsibilities, my lunch companion has dwindled. Don't really know if it comes with responsibility or authority. I'm certain that as one 'rises up' the corporate ladder, there appears to be fewer 'friends' on top.

This I learned the hard way. The proverbial rising up the top of the heap only to find out its 'lonely up there' is never more true! And getting along with topnotch somehow has made me realize that I have to learn more about culture, grace and manners further.

The hard question is - if one tries to 'adapt' to someone else's culture, would one loses his own? Case in point - to this day I still see people (even nobility) of Indian descent using their bare hands to eat. And call it hygeine or something else, Im sure medical folks disdain at the way of life. The only thing is more Caucasian folks die of cancer disease than Indian folks catching bacteria in the process.

What does table manners, peers and good company, do with this life rule?  In my own humble opinion, GW simply is trying to point out to be observant, and respectful of ones manners especially when surrounded with people who will analyze everything you do and say.

Stiff as one may be, but a watchful eye and sensitive ear could be your only companion in handling people from all walks of life, friends and foes alike.

Not sure if this make sense. But still, want to stir ones thoughts...

102nd

It is out of use to call upon the company often to eat; nor need you drink to others every time you drink.