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Many years ago I saw a billboard along the Western Highway that said ....
. "Bad Manners are the Beginning of Violence."

Allow a personal reflection ..... Some food for thought? We are clearly in a painful and difficult time not just here in San Pedro with recent events, but worldwide with earthquakes, wars, riots and slavery. We cant fix everything, but we can each one of us, today, right now, dust off our manners and take a step back from one of the root causes of conflict and suffering ..... That cause being selfishness and lack of respect for others.

Yesterday was a lovely Sunday in the peaceful and yes, safe, neighborhood were I am fortunate to live.

I marveled at the sea, the sky the sound of the reef ...... Until a boom box from somebody pretty far away dominated the sounds of nature and presented me with a whole lot of base that did nothing for the nerves. Do we really think our enjoyment of loud music overrules the rights of others to listen (or not) to something else?

Then a nice stroll down the beach..... Passing a lovely property where, despite the law of the land and basic good manners, an ugly sign declares a private pier, no swimming, no loitering, no this, no that. Really?

I went home..... And took a deep breath and decided it was time for a swim. Oh no, somebody was on MY pier?! Oh yes. A wonderful couple from San Pedro who had come up the coast (their coast, please remember) to spend the afternoon swimming to celebrate their 15 th wedding anniversary.
They were considerate, happy and friendly ..... Which pretty much defines having good manners. I felt better for having met them.
This is precisely what that pier, this coast, this peace is for. To SHARE, to CARE, with respect.

Two men recently lost their lives in a violent way. Ask yourself honestly .... Was your first reaction compassion for the victim and family or was it to wonder how this might affect YOU? If the first, thank you for your respect for others. if the latter, which I fear is a pretty large number of us, lets rethink immediately.

Today you and I may have a grudge or a gripe, but if we just today decide to stand taller than that grudge and act like gentlepeople, maybe by the end of the day we 'll have less to complain about. Its not easy to take the high road, but the results of not doing so are a lot harder to bear in the end.

This is one of the best posts I've read in a very long time. Thank you, Diane, for asking the questions we all need to ask of ourselves if we are going to live peacefully together. I hope residents and visitors alike will heed your advice and work hard together to bring back the kindness and thoughtfulness our island deserves,

Thanks jane .... I was just about to pull down the post because some of the specifics may have resulted in further tensions, not less. And that is the last thing I want to do ....
So, am modifying, not deleting the item above.

So right on Diane

Great Post Diane�.

A beautiful post. Thank you for sharing.