The Manitowoc Minute
a gift that keeps giving
Last night
as I read
free Kindle sample
Husband laughed heartily
by my side
Through his earbuds
I heard
Charlie’s voice
Building bridges
one laugh at a time
Does this sound like pandering…maybe it is….
I HAVE THE BEST READERS!!!!!
How’d I get so lucky?
To be connected
to you?
Anyhow…yesterday one among you gifted me a link to a UW-Madison commencement speech by none other than my new creative crush—Charlie Berens.
If you have fifteen minutes, you can watch here.
If you don’t have the time, you could make it, I mean….we’re under quarantine, am I right?
Here’s a summary for the resistant:
Charlie was speaking to Journalism graduates—people who intend to build a life using words. Near the end of the speech he said….
Skeptics build bridges with truth.
Cynics build bubbles with lies.
Gail….think, think, think….where have you heard this before?
Bowling Alone—a book by Robert Putnam talks about a connection distinction—people who bond associate with like minded others
people who bridge manage to reach across the aisle.
Ideally we’d all be able to do both.
Long ago, I read an article that referenced Bowling Alone.
I had it on my library list for months, but never checked the book out.
A little slip of paper sat in my ideas pile with the words bonding vs. bridging.
Did I ever write about it?
I can’t remember!!
When I just now searched bonding vs. bridging I found this.
The author lost me in the first paragraph.
And that’s why I love Charlie…
He takes the complex and makes it simple.
With humor.
Brilliant!