Kindness. I like it. A good reminder to do more of it, and also to go looking for it. If you look for distress and anger, there's lots of it about. Look for kindness instead and recognize it when you see it.
Yesterday I went to a local big box store because they are the only one that carries a cleaning product I have used for many years. When I had difficulty finding it, an employee looked up how I could order it. Every employee in the store was helpful and friendly going so far as to open a checkout lane just so I wouldn’t have to walk all the way back to the front of the store.
You’re so right, Garrison. The helpers are all around us. You don’t need to look very far to experience the kindness of others and it lifts my spirit to spread some around myself.
Maybe it's because I haven't had my coffee yet this morning, but I am curious as to why you chose to misspell the names of the famous persons in your first paragraph. The rest of your words ring true. We desperately need an epidemic of kindness these days.
Thank you for your defense, sir. Indeed, my brain, still muzzy from sleep, could discern no obvious reason for the alternate spellings. Now that I am re-caffeinated, and having re-read the Column, I must confess I still am perplexed. Must be having "one of those days." Apologies to Mr. Keillor and to anyone who took my statement as criticism. I did not mean it as such.
I imagine it was the Devil of auto-correct, which - for a term composed of only two words, one of which is "correct" - sure seems to get things wrong much of the time.
There's a wonderful tradition in ancient Chinese interactions, which is that one always allows the other to save face. To ask about the spelling GK used is a bit different from characterizing it as misspelling, at least in my mind. It was not malice that I detected, but simply a statement that didn't need to be made in that way. The middle ground between kindness and malice is neutrality.
My point is why point out what is a possible misspelling at all? Why not just rejoice in the point of the essay? There is another Chinese tradition that in writing, one always includes a small error so that the recipient can feel superior. In any event, I think it is kinder not to point out publicly what I think are errors, but rather to live with my questions. You evidently think otherwise. C'est la vie!
So I should have said something like -- Mr. Keillor, please enlighten me as to the purpose behind your alternate spelling of names that are familiar to us older readers. (Like that?)
We weren't alone - and so far, you were the kindest :-D I, too, am reading before I'm fully functional for the day. You did much better than I ever could have :-)
I could be wrong, and often am, but I believe the misspellings were a gentle jab at the fleeting nature of fame, which was the whole point of that paragraph. Was it Larson or Carson? I never can recall ... time moves so fast.
I just returned from a week in York, England traveling with our local (Tioga County, PA) children's choir. The children charmed all who heard and saw them. And the adults were treated with kindness, what felt like a gentle understanding that all was not well at home. The visit began with a 4 hour experience in the ER to treat my companion's serious nosebleed. When I asked about method of payment, the response was "it's all free, darlin', it's all free. We may be slow but it's all free. " That's kindness and the NHS.
I spent three days in an Irish hospital and even had surgery. There was no way to pay, not even a business office. The Doctor who did my surgery gave me a ride back to where I was staying. No charge!
This column convinced me to immediately remodel my world. It is being changed from a world of skepticism and fault finding to one of kindness. I have finally escaped the effect my zealous, over confident ,maternal grandfather had on my mother and her consequential affect on me.
Thank you Garrison. Your humility is a powerful tool.
I'm finding your take on the current state of affairs in our country (and more importantly, this stage of life) is just what I need these days. My daughter is preparing to move to Minnesota to begin her residency, so I've been dosing her with your tales. I asked her if she knew who you were. Her answer, "Of course! We heard him in the car all the time on NPR!" They were paying attention, after all!
Trump is an asshole, a racist and rapist, a felon, a wannabe dictator who has embraced a strategy of pitting Americans against one another. He accused Haitian migrants of eating innocent American dogs and cats. He lies constantly, maliciously. He is a special, dangerous, disgusting case.
You are correct, our nation doesn't need to become great "again," the kindness of our people already make it so. As a fiercely independent person who is just a mite over five feet tall, I often have difficulty reaching the top shelves in the grocery store. I've been known to scramble up the lower shelves or use tools, like snow shovels, from nearby displays to knock the desired item down to my level. But more often or not, my antics are interrupted by a grinning tall person, who kindly hands the item down to me - doubly kind, both for the assistance and for not laughing at the sight of a little granny scaling supermarket shelves. And the people who stop and wave me into heavy traffic - angels on wheels!
And of course, you - your words always make me smile, and smiles are hard to come by these days. Thank you very much!
I’m only 5’4”, but I have often offered to reach things for shorter ladies. Sometimes I step up onto the lower tier to get the item. I also do deep knee bends to reach low things.
This is lovely and timely. Thank you sir. I loved A prairie Home Companion, Lives of the Cowboys, the small businesses like Mrs Kitty’s (something or other) boutique; the deer shooting hunters. I’m almost your age, and really appreciate what you do.
Kindness. I like it. A good reminder to do more of it, and also to go looking for it. If you look for distress and anger, there's lots of it about. Look for kindness instead and recognize it when you see it.
You are on a roll Sir!
Yesterday I went to a local big box store because they are the only one that carries a cleaning product I have used for many years. When I had difficulty finding it, an employee looked up how I could order it. Every employee in the store was helpful and friendly going so far as to open a checkout lane just so I wouldn’t have to walk all the way back to the front of the store.
You’re so right, Garrison. The helpers are all around us. You don’t need to look very far to experience the kindness of others and it lifts my spirit to spread some around myself.
Great comment, Barbra
Maybe it's because I haven't had my coffee yet this morning, but I am curious as to why you chose to misspell the names of the famous persons in your first paragraph. The rest of your words ring true. We desperately need an epidemic of kindness these days.
And here's a fine example of what kindness is not.
Go easy, kemosabe. I didn't detect any malice in the lady's remark.
Thank you for your defense, sir. Indeed, my brain, still muzzy from sleep, could discern no obvious reason for the alternate spellings. Now that I am re-caffeinated, and having re-read the Column, I must confess I still am perplexed. Must be having "one of those days." Apologies to Mr. Keillor and to anyone who took my statement as criticism. I did not mean it as such.
You're cool.
Me, too - it is so unusual to see those two mis-spellings...I wanted to kindly edit :-)
Things such as that seem to stand out for me. There is a reason all of my grandchildren call me "Grammar." ;-)
If I had grandchildren, they would call me that, too.
I imagine it was the Devil of auto-correct, which - for a term composed of only two words, one of which is "correct" - sure seems to get things wrong much of the time.
David McD, and Carol Kelly,
There's a wonderful tradition in ancient Chinese interactions, which is that one always allows the other to save face. To ask about the spelling GK used is a bit different from characterizing it as misspelling, at least in my mind. It was not malice that I detected, but simply a statement that didn't need to be made in that way. The middle ground between kindness and malice is neutrality.
A little too nuanced for an old gearhead such as myself. I'm afraid to ask but what the heck is your point?
My point is why point out what is a possible misspelling at all? Why not just rejoice in the point of the essay? There is another Chinese tradition that in writing, one always includes a small error so that the recipient can feel superior. In any event, I think it is kinder not to point out publicly what I think are errors, but rather to live with my questions. You evidently think otherwise. C'est la vie!
Confucius say I'm outta here.
Some folks just like to complain.
So I should have said something like -- Mr. Keillor, please enlighten me as to the purpose behind your alternate spelling of names that are familiar to us older readers. (Like that?)
We weren't alone - and so far, you were the kindest :-D I, too, am reading before I'm fully functional for the day. You did much better than I ever could have :-)
I assumed it was to avoid (or poke fun at the prevalence of) potential legal issues.
Oh dear.... I suppose that is something that we all must be hyper-aware of these days. Sigh.
I could be wrong, and often am, but I believe the misspellings were a gentle jab at the fleeting nature of fame, which was the whole point of that paragraph. Was it Larson or Carson? I never can recall ... time moves so fast.
I realized that the misspellings were intentional and thought they were amusing.
I did realize the spellings were intentional - as I wrote originally: "curious as to why you chose to misspell the names"....
What I couldn't undersrand was why he switched back to correctly naming them later on
Your writing is a haven. Arlene Bunsen is my role model. So thank you, thank you.
A plea. Would you share back copies of Rhubarb Pie, that sequence of bracing parables?
Reading your wonderful essay is the perfect start to my day! Thank you 😊
I couldn’t love this more. Love will win.
I used to read Lake Wobegon Days to my kids when they were little. They’ve turned out to be fine young men, so thanks Mr. Keillor.
Me too! Some parts were so hilarious, I couldn’t say the words without laughing hysterically. My laughter made them listen all the more!
I just returned from a week in York, England traveling with our local (Tioga County, PA) children's choir. The children charmed all who heard and saw them. And the adults were treated with kindness, what felt like a gentle understanding that all was not well at home. The visit began with a 4 hour experience in the ER to treat my companion's serious nosebleed. When I asked about method of payment, the response was "it's all free, darlin', it's all free. We may be slow but it's all free. " That's kindness and the NHS.
Free even for foreigners? Wow!
I spent three days in an Irish hospital and even had surgery. There was no way to pay, not even a business office. The Doctor who did my surgery gave me a ride back to where I was staying. No charge!
This is how the world should turn!
I can’t tell you how much you mean to me. I tear up with almost every essay. Thank you: A 70 year old who’s been listening to…well… forever. ❤️
I do think you can find great kindness in many places. I encounter it often where I now live, in Japan.
This column convinced me to immediately remodel my world. It is being changed from a world of skepticism and fault finding to one of kindness. I have finally escaped the effect my zealous, over confident ,maternal grandfather had on my mother and her consequential affect on me.
Thank you Garrison. Your humility is a powerful tool.
Johnny Carson- not Larson- Now I guess that isn't very kind of me to point our, I mean out!
I'm finding your take on the current state of affairs in our country (and more importantly, this stage of life) is just what I need these days. My daughter is preparing to move to Minnesota to begin her residency, so I've been dosing her with your tales. I asked her if she knew who you were. Her answer, "Of course! We heard him in the car all the time on NPR!" They were paying attention, after all!
Make certain you point her to yesterday's "Stating the Case as Simply as Possible." Lots of readers seemed to love it. It's all about Trump hatred.
Trump is an asshole, a racist and rapist, a felon, a wannabe dictator who has embraced a strategy of pitting Americans against one another. He accused Haitian migrants of eating innocent American dogs and cats. He lies constantly, maliciously. He is a special, dangerous, disgusting case.
You are correct, our nation doesn't need to become great "again," the kindness of our people already make it so. As a fiercely independent person who is just a mite over five feet tall, I often have difficulty reaching the top shelves in the grocery store. I've been known to scramble up the lower shelves or use tools, like snow shovels, from nearby displays to knock the desired item down to my level. But more often or not, my antics are interrupted by a grinning tall person, who kindly hands the item down to me - doubly kind, both for the assistance and for not laughing at the sight of a little granny scaling supermarket shelves. And the people who stop and wave me into heavy traffic - angels on wheels!
And of course, you - your words always make me smile, and smiles are hard to come by these days. Thank you very much!
I’m only 5’4”, but I have often offered to reach things for shorter ladies. Sometimes I step up onto the lower tier to get the item. I also do deep knee bends to reach low things.
You're one of the kind people!
This is lovely and timely. Thank you sir. I loved A prairie Home Companion, Lives of the Cowboys, the small businesses like Mrs Kitty’s (something or other) boutique; the deer shooting hunters. I’m almost your age, and really appreciate what you do.
Bertha’s Kitty Boutique…