I did a couple of strange things last week

[Jim]

Saturday I went for a walk in a cemetery. I was at a little town way up the California coast. The wife and the girl were going from store to store looking at the things wives and daughters look at. I saw a big church a few blocks way with a cemetery on the hill behind it.

I set off towards it and ended up walking from the bottom to the top, looking at most of the graves. In the beginning there were old graves, starting at about 1850. Lots of German, English and Irish names with a sprinkling of Scandinavians. Couples that lived 80 years together and then died the same year. A couple of babies. Mostly people that lived 60 years. Some unmarked wooden crosses and some very ornate monuments and crypts. Mostly simple stones. Graves that had been there 60 years and were carefully tended with fresh flowers, and graves that were 2 years old with weeds and decomposed flowers. The earth was soft under my feet and reminded me of where we return.

As I went higher, I noticed that many of the men were recognized as veterans. WWI, then WWII, lots of Navy sailers. then Korea and Vietnam. At the top there were two remarkable graves. One was set way back into the trees. It was marked as a Korea vet and there was a folding chair set up next to the grave with a tee shirt on the chair and a football next to it. The other was that of an older woman. Her entire grave area was covered in little toys, figurines, and kid's jewelry. Some looked freshly placed and others looked like they had laid there for years. She must have been loved and missed a lot.

It was definitely a non-TWI experience. I told my daughter about it and she said she would go visit it as well.

On friday evening, I went to an Id-al-Fitr. That's a Muslim celebration dinner that marks the end of Ramadan. A few months ago I did a couple of big favors for a prominent Muslim professor and the local Muslim community. He called me friday morning asked me to attend. I told him I would be honored.

It started with a welcome and then a call to prayer. The fast ends at sunset which is the same time as the evening prayer. You've probably heard the call to prayer on tv or a movie, but to hear it live was great. A young man sings it and it's very melodious and beautiful and haunting in a non-twelve-tone way.

The men went outside and prayed then came in and started dinner. Dinner was very similar to Hindi food, except the bread is a little flatter and not burned. Seasoned rice, colored chicken (yellow), a great seasoned or fermented bean paste for dipping the bread, and a couple strange veggie filled pastries. Great baklava for dessert.

There was a reading from the Koran, and a recital of the 99 names of Allah, mostly in Arabic.

At the end there was a 10 minute teaching from the Muslim chaplin from Folsom prison.

When I came in, I didn't know anyone so I picked out two young men that looked the most like terrorists and asked if I could sit with them. They invited me to sit and we had an excellent discussion contrasting Islam and Christianity. They were suprisingly well-versed in Christianity and were also very respectful of it and in the way they discussed it.

So there you have it. two very non-TWI experiences in one week. Experiences that greatly enriched my life and added a tiny bit to my wisdom.

Anyone else got a non-TWI experience to share?

[SafariVista]

The cemetery sounded interesting Jim.

Where my Grandparents are buried in Germany, it is mandatory for the sites to be taken care of in a meticulous way. Our relatives there take turns caring for it, which at times is more work than imagined.

We also have Muslim friends, the husband is from Iran, the wife from Wisconsin. They met in college. We've shared in prayer with them... everything had to 'stop', and they gave a certain time to God in prayer. Wonderful people!

Everyday seems to have non-Way moments. Speaking with people without the intent to get them into a 'class' is a refreshing daily activity :)

Thanks for sharing~

[Belle]

Beautiful experiences, Jim, and your very talented writing made me feel like I was there with you. :)

I was fortunate to work for world-wide company a few years ago just as TWIt brain was dissolving for me. The cross section of employees was truly varied, but there was no tension. Some of my greatest memories are when we'd sit around and discuss our various beliefs, cutures and traditions. We had JW's, Muslims, Indians (of different areas/cultures), Greek, Italian, Australian, etc. I learned so much during that time and the world became much smaller for me.

My manager was Turkish and we'd celebrate Ramadan with him since we worked very long hours at that time. We'd bring a feast pot luck style and, as soon as the sun went down, break out the bounty. While we ate, Bahadir would share more with us about the holiday and the Muslim beliefs.

It was freeing and comforting to be able to not only work among so much diversity, but to be able to do it without passing judgement and being defensive or obnoxious like TWI would have expected. I really miss the people I worked with then. Not the job or company, mind you! LOL! Just the people.

[excathedra]

thanks jim, that was great

this past saturday, i had a strange experience. i was grocery shopping and a neighbor of mine pulled her cart up next to mine and proceeded to talk to me and gossip for a really long time. it was hysterical. i only have a "hi, how are you" relationship with her. she said our street was like peyton place and i'm thinking, are you sure we live on the same street ? ha ha ha ha ha

it was weird and funny. i finally had to go because i was worried my food would go bad. oh and she got most her information from her husband who is retired. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

maybe this is more like a wayfer experience, the gossip and all !!! ha

[excathedra]

okay the above post is BORING

and does not do justice to jim's thread

[Jim]

I always like reading your posts and only wished you'd write more about what's going on. Besides, you've paid your dues.

[excathedra]

[nolongerlurking]

Yes, I have a non-TWI experience or two. But the best one is that I married an "unbeliever" and the last 17 have been the best of my life.

[Jim]

Me too. My wife started the class and didn't finish it and the limb leader wouldn't marry us. That was the end of my TWI involvement.

[jardinero]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful experiences, Jim.

Mine are not nearly as interesting, but a little non-typical nonetheless.

I just returned from a dinner with guests from Colombia (from the Central Bank of Colombia (Banco de Republico) - - like our Federal Reserve Bank here in the U.S.) and from our Mexican distribution partner company. There were 15 or so of us at dinner. I sent out a note to our company today explaining why they were all in town (for technical training on our products) and who they all were and I received an email back from a quiet software engineer who resides way in the middle of a vast sea of cubicles in our engineering section.

This is a young man I've only said hi to a couple of times because he rarely comes out of his cubicle. He was so excited we had guests in from Colombia because he was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia - - so I invited him to join us for dinner which invitation he gladly accepted. We had 3 guest from Bogata - - and Jairo had such a wonderful time trading stories about "home"with them - - such a delight to see him lit up like that.

Dinner was wonderful and those of us who host these types of things regularly, move around the table to talk to everyone (I, so I could practice my deplorable Spanish) - - and the other managers, so they can at least chit chat with each of our customers.

We had 3 English-only folks from our company (CFO and 2 trainers) and we taught them a little Spanish and they asked us for recommendations on places to visit in the U.S.

One young dad was just getting ready to go to meet up with his wife and young daughter in Orlando and visit Disneyworld. He had just gotten off the phone with the young daughter who could only exclaim in glee "Minnie, Minnie, Minnie" because she can't wait to meet Minnie there!

Nothing major. Just "folks". Wonderful salt of the earth folks. We all had a great time just eating and drinking together despite some of the language challenges - - but plenty of hugs and "besos" (kisses) as we all said "buenos noches".

Nice thread, Jim.

Thanks.

J.