I Now Understand BOW

[wdcav1952]

I had an interesting phone call tonight. A person I once considered a friend called. Before I could react in any way other than surprize, he offered an olive branch. Like many of us, I turn olive wood, and love it, but I usually do not think what the olive branch really means. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, or hold another set of beliefs, the olive branch seems to be a universal symbol for peace. After more than an hour of conversation, we hung up, friends once again.

If you look at my post count and my date of membership, you can imagine that I have been around for a LOT of the disagreements that have taken place on this site. I have been a contributor in more of those cyber-fights than I care to recall, and I have also been remiss in not being a peace-maker on numerous occasions.

Some of you know that I had pretty serious surgery right after Chrismas last year, and am still recovering from the loss of half of my left lung. Others on the site have lost loved ones, had loved ones ill, shot, born premature, houses burned and other difficult times that I do recall at the moment. Working at a prison, I am around wasted lives on a daily basis.

Still, we find time to be angry and combative over pen turning, waxes, finishes and the like. Looking at the olive branch that grew from my phone tonight, I finally got around to making a New Year's resolution. I am simply not going to get involved in silly fights here anymore, and will move to the next thread when I see one beginning. I am going to enjoy the beauty shown here and enjoy the fact that so many here freely share their knowledge with the entire forum.

There is another former friend that I need to extend an olive branch to, and I will do that this weekend.

For those of you who have read this far, thank you for your patience and I hope that something I said reached you in some small way.

Peace,

 

[Dario]

That is very inspiring William.

Thanks!

 

[JimGo]

Very nicely said. Best of luck with both relationships; may they blossom to be at least as close as they were before.

 

[Fangar]

I knew you were pissed at me! []

Very nice William. People often forget that the world is made up of all shapes and sizes. Toes get stomped at times. Thanks for accepting his branch and allowing others to share in the experience.

Fangar

 

[Woodbutcher68]

Just think how the world would be if everyone did what you did.

 

[DocStram]

William .... you are a good person .... a really good person.

 

[alamocdc]

Very well said, Cav. Unfortunately human nature takes over quite often and we let things get volatile. But it doesn't mean we have to.[]

 

[gerryr]

It isn't always easy to ignore the sometimes rude behavior that some people display, but I think I'll bookmark this thread so I can re-read it whenever I might be tempted to jump into one of those things. Very well said, Cav. Life is too short to get involved in that sort of foolishness.

 

[GBusardo]

Very nice. Patching up an old friendship is a great feeling []

 

[Penmonkey]

That's very nice.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Very nice. I believe I have guessed correctly who you were referring to. These 'E' meeting places are an interesting product of today's society. Impersonal discussions of something as benign as a hobby often generate passions that can turn to outright hate for people we have never met.

 

[Mudder]

Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />I had an interesting phone call tonight. A person I once considered a friend called. Before I could react in any way other than surprize, he offered an olive branch. Like many of us, I turn olive wood, and love it, but I usually do not think what the olive branch really means. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, or hold another set of beliefs, the olive branch seems to be a universal symbol for peace. After more than an hour of conversation, we hung up, friends once again.

Very Interesting;

Same thing happened to me about a week ago and I suspect we were talking to the same person.

For me; I believe our friendship is stronger today than it had been in the past. We agreed that we have differences and we agreed that there are a couple of subjects that we will not discuss just yet but I have a feeling that there will be a day when we can discuss them and we'll laugh about all of what had happened.

Much that same that has happened to you has happened with me. I had found that I had accused someone unjustly and I have bugun the task of mending a few fences, rebuilding a few bridges and when that is done I will even extend an olive branch or two myself.

I've said before that some folks will not ever know that things that might appear to be small could have an positive impact on so many others. This one friend who had the courage to try to mend a friendship has begun a sort of domino effect and I hope everything goes well for us all.

 

[alamocdc]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A friend is someone who knows you and STILL loves you. []

 

[woodwish]

Very nicely said, and a great message. Sort of a mini-sermon. Ironically I just came in from the shop turning a BOW pen for a special friend that I may have offended. God works in mysterious ways to put this thread in here at this time.

peace my friend+

 

[bdar]

Many paths lead from the foot of the mountain,
But at the peak
We all gaze at the
Single bright moon.
As with the olive branch of friendship that brings people together. Each person has their own path to travel, whether it is the same path as another person chooses to travel. People become friends, they fall out, a true friend will call you after an argument and you reach a point of understanding. I am glad that the people I know are travelling a different path, but most of all they are now gazing at that single bright moon.
Darren

 

[Skye]

Originally posted by wdcav1952I am simply not going to get involved in silly fights here anymore, and will move to the next thread when I see one beginning.

I hate to be the voice of reality, but someone should make this obvious statement; Dont be the person in this thread that causes Cav to move on from this thread. It's a great thing that's going here, let's keep it heading on this path.

It good to see these fences mended. I know I hold no grudges in this particular situation. When people clash, sometimes they get back on track, sometimes they dont. If they dont, the best thing we can strive to do is be the better of the two. If everyone tries to be the better man, we'll do just fine.

I've got my hopes up, dont let my down guys! []

 

[Nolan]

Thanks William nice to read your post!
Nolan

 

[chisel]

Originally posted by wdcav1952

God bless the peacemaker. That is good stuff, really.

At the same time, don't trust those that give you poison ivy, disguised as an olive branch. I’m not saying that is what is happening here…I really don’t know. The evidence will present itself in the long run.

Peace,

Chisel

 

[Yarael]

Very well said. I understand more than you know. Working in call centers for the last 8+ years. The saying you get more flies with honey than vinegar is very true. If you call in and get me and are very nice and non demanding I will give you what you want. But you call in and first words out of your mouth is "I demand" you get nothing what so ever.

Treat me with respect and I will respond with the same kindness.
Treat me like crap because you screwed up and will not admit it. And you get nothing what so ever from me.

Thus is life you can not deal with it go away and do not talk to me because you will get no where.

Now if you start out treating me with no respect and I prove to you that I really want to help you and you appoligize for how you started the coversation I am all good with that. I have de-escalated many situations with people that will let me talk and explain what is going on and why what they want can not techincall/physicaly not happen makes a big difference. If you are irate about something and call into a call center place at least give the first person you are talking to a chance to help you before jumping all over them. If you are nice they are always more than happy to help you with any issue that you are having. How ever if you start off yelling at them do not expect to get anywhere.

Now me I am very unjudgemental person. How you act toward me is how I will act toward you. I have delt with people from all nations in the world. And knowing the background/cultral differences of most of them I how each will react with how you word things. Some are all way use to being treated rude and if you react same way to them as they are to you all is good. Others you yell loud enough or act pissed off they give you what you want. Even if it mean lieing to you to make you happy. Which in the end make you even madder. But that is the culture there. Depending how you were raise depends on how you take every thing.

Cav I understand exactly what you are saying. Basically if it is not worth the trouble/arguement why bother. You have a method of some sort that works for you no matter what you are doing why change that method. I am the same why. Most people will try to change their method to fit what everyone else does just to fit in. My experience is typically it is not worth it and to only argue a point that you know for fact is correct.

With pen turning and finishing it is 99% personal prefence. So why waste the time arguing. I know some still will but I am like you it is not worth it so dont worry about it just read the post and say oh well and go on.

 

[penhead]

Originally posted by Yarael
<br />. If you call in and get me and are very nice and non demanding I will give you what you want. But you call in and first words out of your mouth is "I demand" you get nothing what so ever.

Which is why I get so many requests as a computer consultant for home users.

When people have to call a tech center, they call because that stupid piece of metal called a computer won't do what I want it to
And they are mad at 'it' for that. They are not mad at you, but that mochine. And by not helping them, you are only exasperating their situation. You have no idea how many accolades I have received - after - I have resolved their problem from that irate customer who walked into the office.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Thanks William, as I am some-what new to this forum and pen turning in general I was a little concerned this past week or so after reading some of the posts that were negitive and wondered if this was the place for me but your post reinforced in me that YES this is where I belong as long as there are people like you here. So lets all get back to what this is all about PENS,FREINDS,AND PEACE

 

[Daniel]

Although I can completely agree with William that spats can and do happen here. I have recently been doing an expirment on "Myspace" and can tell you that even at there worst. members of this group are pearls.
thank youfor this post William. I found it very refreshing. I have seen it demonstrated many times that penturners share a thread of there heart that is more than just making pens. there is a core of honesty and generosity. there is also a grain of forgivness. thanks for sharing yours.

 

[mdburn_em]

I have learned a few things in my limited time as a member of the forum. One thing I've learned is that the people that participate in this forum are the salt of the earth. I suspect that a lot of the arguements that occur, in type, on the forum, would never happen in face to face conversations. I also suspect that most of the people who get into arguments, regret them and don't know how to undo what has been done. I think we all need to remember that the anonymity that comes with the forum can make us say things that aren't really who we are.
I appreciate the people of this forum and especially this thread. I've learned so much from all of you. Thank you.