RoR: Forum

Hi Michael K (to be distinguished from your namesake),

First, thank you for your kind word. It’s been a real pleasure to read your article and many of your other posts. It’s great to have you here!

Yes, I think your interpretation of my misusage of “rationalize” is correct. What I want to say is that I don’t think your so-named “biological love” should be something mystical, and there should be reason behind our feelings. These reasons may well be consistent with Rand’s value-orientated love theory, although we don’t always know exactly what these values are, or we don’t have a correct assessment of these values yet. I agree with George that we are “not supposed to do anything about that love you feel, except bask in it”, and try to understand it, if I may add.

BTW, I still don’t know the exact English equivalent of “Que gracinha”, but since I am now conceited, I figure it must be a compliment. Thank you.

Hong

(Edited by Hong Zhang on 3/09, 9:40pm)

Post 41

Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 9:54am

Michael Kelly,

Thank you for your feedback. After reading everything that has been written in this thread I am going to take your advice. I have half siblings who have been trying to establish a relationship with me for several years. I have thus far maintained my distance, but I'm going to get in touch. Thank you for this topic and everyone for the extraordinary contributions.

Post 42

Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 10:06am

Good for you, Mike, and best wishes.

Post 43

Friday, March 11, 2005 - 7:55pm

I have to report a small personal treat I received from finally getting it right. I went out with my father today to get a building permit for re-roofing the house. The lady at the counter asked what our connection was and I pointed my thumb at my father and said, "I'm his son."

That was the first time I had ever said that to a stranger in front of my father in over three decades.

It only hit about five minutes later. KABOOM! I became so completely overwhelmed by a feeling of love, pride, relief, irritation at having been so stupid and God knows what all that I almost lost it. It took all my strength to keep my cool.

Poor Dad. He had no idea of what was going on in my head (he does not know about this article). But there he is loving me. I see him and realize that he has always been there for me. No words, no words are adequate enough...

I have been riding the high of this emotion all day...

Michael

Post 44

Monday, November 7, 2005 - 8:57am

Michael,

This article just popped up on the random generator. This was a terrific piece of writing. Two weeks ago, I attended the wedding of my cousin Anne. The groom happens to be a terrific guy who is the new editor of MIT's Technology Review magazine (and former editor of Red Herring) Jason Pontin. My cousin and I were really close as we went to the same high school and played violin in the same orchestra. This was also the first time my wife Rita got to meet all of my paternal side relatives. It was a bit bumpy, but we got through it with flying colors.

The warm memory of the family music session with my Mom and Uncle Tom on the banjo, Uncle Jim on the harmonica, me on the fiddle and my cousin Bill on the guitar keeps flooding back. I'm still laughing at my Uncle Tom's decidedly un-PC rendition of Frankie and Johnny. It also brought back memories of my dad from way back. During the time my father was getting his PhD in Latin American History, he used to play harmonica in bars in Gainesville, Florida for extra money and this avocation led him to write a book called How to Play Folk and Blues Harmonica published by Mel Bay. Even after we left Florida, we'd make a yearly trip down to the Florida Folk Festival and he and Mom would put on a couple of concerts. The soulful tunes of Sonny Terry and Blind Lemon Jefferson still flood my mind.

Anyway, Michael thanks for prompting that bit of nostalgia. Family is indeed a wonderful thing.

Jim

Post 45

Monday, November 7, 2005 - 9:24am