- A Man of Wealth and Taste, the Masthead of this publication, is obviously a reference to a lyric by two of my favorites, Mick and Keith. The Glimmer Twins. The hips and lips that lead The Rolling Stones. From Sympathy for the Devil, a perfect song, if only for a title of which every writer is jealous.
** FUN ASIDE ** Saying writers being involved with the title and the lyrics is ripe for fun facts, as Mick Jagger seemed to draw inspiration and words from M. Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita, a Great Read that has the Devil, witches, a talking cat, and a magic show. So, obviously, it could only be written by a Russian.
** FUN ASIDE FINISHED **
A Man covers . . . . . Correspondence
- with what you've read so far, some direction will definitely be necessary, so onward to the core of this post.
Today's life is full. Everything takes bites out of day, and with all of that, free time usually is pushed toward the quickest pleasure. Spending time to catch up with friends past and present is the only way to remain fully involved. And while some friends may fade in terms of closeness and amount of contact, A Man always finds the time for Correspondence. A Man has taste, but he neither shuns nor clings to the past. He is not Victorian, yet he knows the supreme class that comes with a handwritten note. And he is not a Futurist, yet he understands that email, instant messaging and technology is only the tool and the words and thoughts he shares are the medium by which he is judged.
As for additional reasons for today's lesson, A Man understands his fallibility. His memories fade and he might place a significance on his current surroundings over the past. Old friends not only can renew those memories and clarify the past, those memories bring with them the ability to see a life of growth. A Man does not begin fully formed and polished. You will be surprised, both positively and negatively with who you were. But old friends do not exist in the past; these people have grown and acquired new experiences like you. Talk! Converse! Learn of the presents for those that colored your past. Covering your friends of the present, find a new medium. People exist in realms today that box in their lives and personalities. Each person may cover a range of boxes, but go beyond. Write a letter to a coworker, maybe include an invitation for Correspondence in a new setting. Getting to know your friends in many boxes will help you to better understand them, and importantly, let them see you as a complete Man of Wealth and Taste.
One question to ponder: Does a lack of Correspondence tarnish a shared past? For A Man, this answer is a yes. You are not a man that lives in only one tense. Don't be held in a frozen form for past friends. Stay in touch, stay connected, and show that your time and interests together were not solely based on being in close proximity.
Until next time,
A Man
