How To Live A Miserable Life

[utapaortnab]

Ken Bower here. I have lived my life totally incorrectly according to most of the other people on this earth. You see, even though I am a lifer Republican, totally right wing, baptized Methodist but leaning towards Buddhism non church going retired US Army misfit who has dedicated my life to travelling and working around the world (39 countries and all 50 United States), I am a man with few talents and less ambition.

When I started making friends first among my immediate family at birth, and with the extended family (cousins, uncles, aunts etc) shortly after life for me was pretty much as it is with everyone else I know.

But then came kindergarden, and elementry school. This is where I started down my different path than that chosen by most others. I didn't choose only those I met and weed out some because they professed a different religion, or were of a different color, or neighborhood.

In Jr. High School, and on to my High School years, I failed miserably at eliminating those who were NOT jocks like me, or NOT acceptable as friends to those in the "brainer" bookworms group, or the students from rich or poor families or against those who didn't wear the "current fashion" clothing to school. I simply chose my friends from all walks of life that were people who were not affraid to be outspoken, have opinions different than mine, and be blessed with the confidence in themselves to be totally themselves instead of try so hard to make up a persona of what they wanted others to believe about them.

I joined the military right after high school and for the next 20+ years, I travelled the world, visiting many countries and throughout the U.S. and meeting far more people than 90% or so of all other people. Everytime I was posted/stationed at a new base/fort/camp, I met a totally new set of people from which I could select new friends. It was during these years that I learned that there WERE people from the far right, middle of the road, far left, people from so many different religions, and I learned first hand so many things about the local people from all the countries I worked in, lived in and visited. At the end of my 20+ years in the military I had been to 12 countries and 22 United States.

From the very start of my "adult" life I found myself adapting a rule to accept each and every person I met with 100 points and only taking away points when that person did something against me. I am told that the majority of people on this planet start every new person they meet with zero points and only add points when that person does something that benefits them. (Sad approach I believe, but very popular one I fear).

After my military life, I decided to dedicate the rest of my working life ONLY to jobs/employment that allowed for extensive travel, forsaking my 20 years training in Radar, Fire Control, Weapons Control, Instructor of Airborne Surveillance Radar, Satellite Communications and finally White House Communications.

I worked for some years as a Travel Agent (many "fam" familiarization trips, with a 12 day trip to the four major islands of Hawaii, a Princess cruise, a trip up fabled Hiway One in California topping the list of "freebies". I went to college while working for the 6+ years working as a travel agent.

Then I hired on as a Personnel Administrator for McDonnell Douglas and in the 5 years I was posted in Saudi Arabia I visited 29 countries on "company money", making friends everywhere along the way. I worked at several other part time jobs after leaving Saudi Arabia, all of which allowed for maximum freedom to travel.

I think it's fair to say that I have met more people from more places than perhaps 95% of all people in the world. In all that time (with only possibly one exception) I have never excluded including friends because of their differences in religious or political beliefs, creed or any other major differences we may have in the structure of who we are.

I am STILL a lifer Republican but have close friends who are left wing Democrats, Socialists, even profess to be communists. I have a very close friend who is a card carrying member of the ACLU. I have friends that are black, yellow, brown and white. My wife is from Thailand, my very best friend is Catholic.

If all this dribble has a meaning it is a cry for every reader to remember to accept all others in this world and learn to listen to what they say and stand for. You never learn anything while talking, only when listening (or reading posts offering different opinions than your own).

Earlier I mentioned I mentioned I had one exception when excluding friends. I spent 5 years in Saudi Arabia and in all that time, I never met a Saudi I trusted or befriended. I find their treatment of all other Moslims deplorable. They are very elitest, looking down on all other Moslims. Their treatment of "infidels" from First World countries is unacceptable and the treatment of those who come to work in Saudi from Third World countries like the Philippines, Thailand, Korea, India and others are treated like dirt. That said, I still look on my exclusion as a weakness in my persona for not being able to accept them alongside all others from everywhere outside their Kingdom.

Please, everyone, try to accept what you can of everyone. IF you listen to all those who differ in the views, you can only learn from them. What a sad world it is for those who can ONLY accept those sharing their political and religious views and are from their country, state, county, city or neighborhood.

Take a minute to assess your take on all of this and tell me your thoughts via reply.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

Veteran Human Being

[Boon Mee]

Ken ~

Interesting thoughts although I wouldn't characterize your path as a "Miserable Life".

I grew up in the hotbed of arch-Republicanism - Orange Co., CA. but have always considered myself as Independant. I'm sure some of my early years were influenced by the John Birch Society presence. And, where else are you going to find an airport named after one of the great American (Republican) heros - John Wayne.

Everybody take a different path & I wouldn't be so hard yourself as the title of this thread indicates...

Boon Mee

[KevinN]

Ken; Your life sounds very much like mine,and I find that my estimate of Saudi's is exactly like yours.

Altho one hitch in uniform was plenty for me.But mine was peacetime service and I didn't like it.And going to school got in the way of roaming the world,so never had much formal schooling.

Also,I have never met a stranger,Thanks for the insight into your life.

No one has to do anything for me,,But you had better not do anything to me