I think it is sad we have slipped down the slope we call “being civil”. Being away from these posts for the better part of a week has allowed me to look at them in a different light then before. The thoughts and feelings of many of the people who post here are very raw right now. Decency, understanding, compassion, patience and kindness have been lost to pain and anger.
I have learned some very valuable lessons over the past nineteen months. Often, anger is directly driven by pain. I read pain into many of the post here. People have offended one another and tramped on each others toes and people have been hurt emotionally.
Gosh, I am the farthest thing from a counselor or referee for that matter, but I am qualified to say that each of us has good days, and each of us has bad days. Without exception, EVERY SINGLE POSTER was decent, understanding and compassionate towards me during a very tough time in my life. Ion has a way of invoking anger and hostility in people. Having said that, he reached out to me during a very tough time and demonstrated a very different and compassionate side then the one we see here.
My point, in the final annalists we call life, what more do we really have then one another? We are a body of swimmers who share a common bond for the love of swimming and adult exercise in the water. Let us keep to this course as opposed to offending one another and fracturing our beloved sport with pain, hard feelings and anger. We are different, yet, we are the same. We all love our children, we all want to excel in life, we all want to think of ourselves are winners, we all want to be free people, we all want to raise our families and enjoy life as best we can. Regardless of how fast we are, how smart we are or anything else…. in the final toll….we all want and strive for many of the same things. As we all did on playgrounds all over the world as children, let’s shake hands and make up….
Former Member
Originally posted by Ion Beza
Everything in the nature is already or soon to be discovered by science.
When I was much younger, I used to believe this too.
My grandfather used to say, "Too soon old, too late smart".
I am not religious at all.
Originally posted by laineybug
This is a secular country?
France--83 to 88 % Roman Catholic, 2% Protestant, 1 % Jewish, 5 to 10% Jewish, 4 % Unaffiliated.
Like my native Romania.
Traditionally orthodox.
Every day secular.
That's the cultural heritage that you look at.
Not the everyday's life.
Regarding everyday's life in France, by all means, learn French.
Study in France.
Live there.
Work there.
Earn a full living there, proof of your immersion.
Read the news.
About French banning religious dress in public.
After that talk about.
Originally posted by Bert Bergen
...
Therefore that category, subset, or grouping does not officially exist and therefore should not be acknowledged.
...
Ignorance of knowledge is not a blessing.
I think you and many from your choir, you believe in the wrong century, at odds with the world of today.
You might as well submit your post to the local church, not to me.
Knowledge is a blessing.
Excellent Post Bert.
I get such joy out of each workout, each goal, each challenge.
Each day I swim, for I simply love to swim. And I love to share that joy and success with others. To get others to reach out for new goals.
I don't take my health for granted, so I treasure each day that I am able to achieve. There will always be someone better, someone who will motivate and inspire no matter what their abilities. My swimming book is filled with autographs of my 'heros'. A mix of all sorts of swimmers, including a 95 year old who did an 800 at the World Champs, popped out of the water in a sprightly energetic way, and walked off completely independently, climbed out the steps, ducked under the rope barrier no cane, glasses,or hearing aid, and with an enormous smile even though she couldn't speak any English. She knew what she meant to me.
Time isn't the object. Living life well, enjoying life, keeping a balance and achieving a goal.
As they say in a certain ad. It's priceless. And best of all, no one can take that feeling away. No one. Not Ever. :)
Originally posted by Ion Beza
You judge on only one facet that we talk about here, and for which I don't compromize.
On many facets that we don't talk about here, people who see me everyday see these traits in my personality.
Well, we're all dyng here to see the positive fcets that you're talking about. Feel free to stat any time.
In the meantime you get judged based on what you choose to show us. Noone's fault but your own, if you don't like what we're seeing.
Originally posted by 2go+h20
Excellent Post Bert.
...
Because you like Bert's post so much, you shouldn't have told that you started swimming at 33.
By Bert and you here, knowledge of you starting swimming at 33 shouldn't exist.
Heck, why did you say that you are diabetic too?
By Bert and you here, knowledge of you being diabetic shouldn't exist either.
You are inconsistent in having said your conditions, along with their corrsponding results.
To be consistent, you should have said strictly your results, period.
Originally posted by gull80
You are the one that made your times an issue and a subject for discussion when you:
Stated that you were faster than 90% of USMS swimmers, but didn't specify whether this meant all 42,000 members or only those who actually train seriously and compete.
...
I did:
42,000.
You don't pay attention.
42,000 access the same workout conditions as I do.
With outputs that are different than mine.
