Cross Cultural Comments – Page 4 – The Paris Savannah Connection

On … the Isle of … Hope!

SLOW

NARROW

ROAD

Coincidence that this sign, slightly hidden from view, should be posted … on an island called “Hope.” Maybe instructions for … life?

Is “thank you!” enough?

No. Probably not. Not just by itself. So let me add the essentials:

For your hospitality in the myriad meanings of the word:

Thank you, Murem, Tom and Eric! Thank you Sandra! Thank you Ann & Enoch! Thank you Leonard & Suzanne. Thank you Ronnie and Ann. Thank you Sherry, Brian, Stephanie & Lem and Macayla. Thank you, Charlie Teeple! And Thank you Raymond! Thank you Catherine & your wonderful friends! Thank you Gordon. Thank you Denis! Thank you Eric!! Thank you Sheldon! Thank you Gayle, Martin, Armide, and Constance !!! Thank you Chase. Thank you, Ted. Thank you Betsy. Thank you Lisa. Thank you Roger! Thank you J’maih! Thank you Arlinda! Thank you Howard!

Thank you Mom! Thank you Dad! Thank you Kay!

Thank you Tybee … Thank you Savannah.

“Thank you” … and “I’m sorry” : Putting it into words. So … please forgive me if I didn’t mention YOUR name … C’est un simple oubli! Just human forgetfulness. Forget and forgive.

By the way … if you just change the vowel “a” in thank to an “i,” … you come close to the origin of the word: think.

The English word “thank” comes from “think” which, in turn comes from … thought.

If you think about it for a minute … “Thank you” is simply … thoughtful.

“L’étranger te permet d’être toi-même, en faisant de toi, un étranger.” E. Jabès.

Those of us who live, or have lived our lives outside the country or the culture we were born into will appreciate what Edmund Jabès wrote. As well as those of us who have the role of hosts … Jabès, born in Egypt, later made his home in Paris.