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WITandWISDOM(tm) - March 8, 2000 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: The best climber in the world is the one who's having the most fun. - Alex Lowe, professional mountaineer - Reader's Digest (Magazine: Reader's Digest http:www.readersdigest.com ) ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Criticism is commonly encountered in the workplace, and it can sometimes lead to frustration and anger. Some people become so wounded from criticism that they seek psychological help. What should they do about fault-finding and critical coworkers? Carson worked hard at his job, which he liked; he usually went home satisfied with his day. Then a new supervisor took over - a disagreeable type who habitually sought ways to find fault with Carson's work. When the supervisor came by, Carson felt his heart pounding in anger even before the man started talking. Carson's explanations never seemed to make any difference, and as the blaming and fault-finding seemed to intensify, Carson grew to hate the man. Everyone faces faultfinders. By learning how to respond to them, we can often feel much better about encounters with them. Meekness, humility, submission - how can we summon up those attitudes when we are targets of stinging criticism? Here is the fundamental rule - a rule that most people won't like to hear at first: Agree with your critics. Some experts say that 90 percent of criticisms that we receive are accurate. In others words, although the critic is disagreeable, the criticism nearly always contains some truth. What might happen when the response to criticism is "agreement" rather than "argument"? Carson decided to try agreeing instead of arguing. "I see what you're saying," he said. "I may be able to improve this by taking your advice. Thanks." Carson's experiment with this "agreement" response seemed to work. The supervisor gradually stopped his ongoing critique; Carson's spirits picked up, and his improved mood convinced him that humble acceptance was the way to go. Such responses fit the truth that we are to bear with on another in all lowliness, meekness and patience. - Ephesians 4:1-2 Obviously, people should not agree with criticism that is utterly without truth. In such instances we can thank the critics for telling us their view of the matter and promise to consider it. - William Backus, DECISION, July 1998 (Magazine: DECISION http://www.graham-assn.org/decision/ ) ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: No wonder the English language is so very difficult to learn. I sometimes wonder how we manage to communicate at all! Part 2 of 2 [2-28, 3- 8] There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row. They were too close to the door to close it. The buck does funny things when the does are present. They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow. The wind was too strong to wind the sail. After a number of injections my jaw got number. Upon seeing the tear in my clothes I shed a tear. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests. The singer had to record the record. Will you be able to live through a live concert? (Sam Converse via E-zine: BILL'S PUNCH LINE Mailto:bills-punch-line- subscribe@onelist.com) ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: One afternoon in the Arctic, a father polar bear and his son polar bear were sitting in the snow. The son polar bear turned to his father and asked, "Dad, am I 100% polar bear?" The father polar bear replied, "Of course, son, you're 100% polar bear." A few minutes pass, and the son polar bear turns to his father again and says, "Dad, tell me the truth. I can take it. Am I 100% polar bear? No brown bear or panda bear or grizzly bear?" The father polar bear replies, "Son, I'm 100% polar bear, your mother is 100% polar bear, so you are definitely 100% polar bear." A few more minutes pass, and the son polar bear AGAIN turns to his father and says, "Dad, don't think your sparing my feelings if it's not true. I gotta know -- am I 100% polar bear?" The father polar bear was distressed by this continued questioning and asked his son, "Why do you keep asking if you're 100% polar bear?" "Because I'm freezing!" (E-zine: KITTY'S DAILY MEWS Mailto:kittysdailymews- subscribe@topica.com) ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: More about Isaac Watts from a W&W reader: Isaac Watts wrote about 650 hymns. . . . By the time he was 13 years old, young Isaac was fluent in Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and French, as well as being well trained in theology. On this strong foundation he wrote his hymns, and because he was the first to write quality hymns in English, he became known as "The Father of English Hymnody." His hymns endure today, and one of them, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," is considered to be the greatest hymn in the English language. - Carol Blair ~~~~ What kind of insect flies toward forest fires? . . . Most creatures flee in panic from forest fires, but one kind of beetle deliberately flies toward them. The beetle is called Melanophila, in the family Buprestidae. Its name means "lover of blackness" because it seeks charred wood. These beetles lay their eggs on burnt wood that has recently been killed by a forest fire. They can detect fires from as far away as 20 kilometers (12 miles) by using special infrared sensillae (sensory organs) on their thorax (mid-section). They are especially attracted by the wavelengths of infrared light that correspond to the temperature of burning wood. (E-zine: THE LEARNING KINGDOM http://www.tlk-lists.com/join/ ) |