Total Pageviews

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

One of The Most Beautiful Places on Earth

We live in one of the most beautiful areas in the country. I have longed to write about our area for years but have refrained from doing so because it seems that some of the residents in our community can't seem to get along with each other. There are solutions to living with the disagreement that seems to have infected our area and still enjoy the surroundings. A few people who like to constantly stir up problems and generate dissension continue to give our community a bad name. Only because I know people who read this blog and are interested in this area am I writing so they may know that living in this community is not only possible but can be highly rewarding. I have always said that people who live in our area should not confuse friendliness for friendship. Living in a community where some try to keep dissension at the forefront requires carefully evaluating those around you and being extremely careful whom you trust or are willing to let into your safe circle.

Being confused over friends and friendship is not new and almost 350 years B.C. Aristotle was writing about friends and their characteristics.  He concluded that there were three types of friendship. One is based on pleasure in another's company (friendship of pleasure).  Another is based on utility or usefulness in association (friendships of utility) and the last is friendship based on mutual admiration or (friendships of virtue). Those friendships of utility are not real friendships because when the good for one and another ceases the connection is broken and they drift away from that shallow friendship. Those who have friendships of pleasure are only friends as long as that relationship is pleasurable. Both pleasurable and utility only last as long as the parties continue to be alike.

Then there is the perfect friendship which subsists between those who are good and whose similarity consists in their goodness. These type of friendships exist where each of the friends wants the best good for the other. These type friendships are rare and are what should be sought. These are the type of friends who like and admire each other in spite of all their individual flaws. Friends that fall into this category uphold each other in spite of differences and just flat out enjoy each other for who they are.

Most of the friendships in our community are of the former two; utility and  pleasure. When your use is no longer needed or one of the parties are no longer pleasurable, loyalties shift to others. In a fledgling community like ours there are many issues and challenges and that means loyalties tend to be in constant flux. If however you seek a friendship of virtue with others you will find that living in our community has its rewards. One benefit is not associating with negative people and being able to identify them. With all the nature surrounding us and the excellent temperatures it can be a good community to live in.

There are times when you may have to stand your ground with those who want to bring you down to their level but if you have your priorities right they are unable to withstand truth, logic and honesty. In fact, they will hate you for those virtues.

Prospective landowners need to enter the community being aware and realize that friendliness does not equate to friendship. If you mistakenly get in with the wrong people your continued happiness in the community can be fraught with constant fighting over nonsense and trivial issues. Some people prefer to try and destroy others because they are hollow people - lovers of self only. Those are to be avoided once identified.

When we do a Google search of our community there are the propaganda sites within our community and hateful people using a public forum to vent life issues and personality defects. That is not our true area and life can be pleasurable if you but enter carefully and test the water before you jump in fully. I publish topics that I believe people like to read about the good in our area but others for their own reasons publish comments that do not portray a good image of our community. It all depends on what you are willing to put into it and how you view friendship. I see no reason to write again about our community and each person will have to make their own choice having now been forewarned - choose carefully and be happy and enjoy the wonderful natural environment.  



No comments: