Morel season is over, and that crop of mushrooms this year was not all that great, but a sandwich or two was gifted to the old Dargan Boy by my brother Roc.
‘A worthy friend is one who would share his morels with you.’
And then there is Bubba, my imaginary friend from the woods of Dargan, who came by to visit me and share some ‘wisdom’ while toting a jug of his homemade strawberry wine.
“Bubba, you’re very special to me because you always make me think and I have no better friend than you.“
“Thank you Dargan Boy, it’s always a pleasure stopping by your humble abode for a chat, and I’ve been reading a book called ‘Wise words and Quotes’ by Vern McLellan, and he delivered some dandies ~ just listen to a few of these little gems:
And he even quotes from the ‘good book’ too ~ feels like having church under the shade of those Dargan trees.
Let’s consider a few of these little nuggets of wisdom:
‘It is far better to forgive and forget than to hate and remember’ ~ this is a tough one Dargan boy, but I find I sleep better at night when I do, said Bubba.
Bubba continued:
‘A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.’ ~ Proverbs 16-28;
Ain’t that the truth pilgrim?
And how about ‘giving’?
‘You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving’ ~ Amy Carmichael
And my Lebanese Poet friend Kahlil Gibran, takes giving to yet another level when he offers this one Dargan Boy ~ ‘You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.’
‘Blessed are those who are generous because they feed the poor ~ Proverbs 22-9;
Do you know many people who have a giving heart, Dargan Boy? ~ “Not enough Bubba”, I replied.
Do you ever think much about ‘integrity?’ ~ asked Bubba.
‘I feel that integrity should be an important part of one’s life, I offered. Doing the right thing when no one is looking speaks well of integrity.’
And what of giving your word?
‘Dargan Boy, you have never told me something that I didn’t believe.’
When you said you would help me, you did.
When you made a promise to me, you delivered.
When you could have told me a fib, you didn’t.
One’s word says much about one’s worth.
Your friendship to me is ‘priceless.’
McLellan gives us some good advice too on this worthy practice:
‘When you break your word, you break something that cannot be mended;’ one thing you can give and still keep is your word.’
‘A person who doesn’t give a promised gift is like clouds and wind that don’t bring rain.’
‘Character is made by many acts too; it may be lost by a single act’ suggested author McLellan. Take care of your character, and your reputation will take care of itself.’
That, for sure, is good advice Bubba!
‘And so is this Dargan Boy,’ let us take a sip of that strawberry wine and moisten our lips with wit as we continue our walk down this path to ponder.
So, what did McClellan say of kindness Bubba?
McClellan must have been a Preacher for he offered this quote by Robert Browning:
‘Twas a thief who said the last word to Christ; Christ took the kindness and forgave the thief.’
‘Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel’. ~ Proverbs 11-17.
I once read, Dargan Boy, that ‘in a world where you can be anything, be kind.
And Aesop reminded us that, ‘no act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted’.
I’m believing here Dargan Boy that ‘Kindness is the beginning of wisdom.’
Can you imagine a world where everyone is kind?
And what of ‘wisdom’ Dargan Boy? Should one seek wisdom?
‘A good deal of trouble has been caused in the world by too much intelligence and too little wisdom’ suggests author McLellan ~ consider politics.
‘A fool tells what he will do; a boaster tells what he has done; a wise man does it and says nothing.’
‘The wise learn from tragedy; the foolish merely repeat it’ ~ have you studied the nature of great wars Dargan Boy?
‘Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm ~ Proverbs 13:20.
Thank you Bubba for your visit, healing potion and ‘wisdom.’
‘Words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbly brook’ ~ Proverbs 18-4
Let us embrace those words friend.
