I was doing more reading on the concept of arete. I said in my last blog that arete means excellence, but on another site I read that the word excellence is not adequate in defining arete. Check out this site for another understanding:http://www.ellopos.net/mail/arete.html.
I am guessing that the English does not have a better word for arete and that we limit what Paul meant in Philippians 4:8 by saying “excellent”. Hmm…maybe the rest of the verse better defines that, but that was my last blog.
For me right now, if I am pursuing arete, or being all God made me to be in all areas of life in all my roles, the world race showed me one area of weakness that I have always known about.
When I was a kid I didn’t really have many friends. I had a bad temper and I was mean and insulting. When I would do these things my mom would say “that is not how to win friends and influence people”.
So, knowing that I still struggle with close relationships I am reading the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, for maybe the fourth time. Last night Linnea fell asleep as I read the first chapter out loud to her.
The first principle that Dale Carnegie teaches is: “Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain”. Seek to understand others, which if I remember right is one of the 7 habits of highly effective people.
Like so much of trying to be the best I can this seems so obvious, but it is often so difficult to do, huh?
This last website is another one I stumbled on today, his stuff looks pretty interesting.
http://www.dickstaub.com/culturewatch.php?record_id=986
