Pierre's #2: On Being Great

Dear Marie,

As I was randomly going through Pinterest the other day I came across this sketch, which is actually a quote, and it doesn't matter who wrote it besides the fact that it's not that great of a quote.

But it evoked a lot of thoughts that have been going on in my mind recently, about what a person should really go through in order to build a strong personality and become someone of true importance.

We were invited the other day to the graduation party of a son of one of my dad's close friends.

This friend of his had a brother who went to the same school as I am. An old man, born in 1938, I found out later that he used to be a Civil engineer.

After all the guests, except for dad and I, left, we sat down, with the close friend listening to the stories of the old brother.

I'm not used to socializing a lot, and I've never actually been part of a lot of real life conversations, but I listened as he talked about all the places he went and all that he had been through, and what he is now and it was quite the story of a man who had launched himself fully into the world with all it's messiness and roughness, and embraced all that he faced and defied it.

As we went back home I thought of the similarities he had with my late grandfather, who had also traveled even more than this guy and had done much more, and it seemed to me that if I really want to be a great man, I'd have to take a lot of risks in life and face a lot of my fears. That's the only way to fulfill the incessant "Urge to reach my full potential".

Inevitable.

One thing I've always believed in though, is that the universe, or God, or whatever people would set as a higher force that drives all of this, never fails to reward someone who takes such risks and faces their fears in life. I know it for a fact.

How will I start my own "series of unfortunate events" up to greatness? I don't know; I'm a little intimidated by it, but like everything in life, I know it'll be alright, because we have each other, and at the end of the day, as we look back to what we did, whether it's good or bad, it'll be alright, because we'll be each other's comfort.

Yours,

Pierre. 

Marie's #1: Reflecting Shyness.

Dear Pierre,

Being a girl who trains with a bunch of boys ( and other very few and a lot younger girls ) is an unusual thing in such a town but it’s something I really love and enjoy and plan on doing for the rest of my life, well I know that you know all about this and I’m not really trying to take a role as feminist because I kind of still don’t exactly know what that is, I just wanted to put it this way to tell you about this 9 years old girl who trains with me, that seemed like a reflection of some of what I used to be( and maybe still am).

So this Sunday as I walked in, I said Hello to our “ sensei” and headed towards the locker room like I always do, I found her there, I smiled and I tried to say something funny ( you know Marie, she thinks she’s hilarious). I expected some reaction or that she says something but she just smiled and went out too silently that it got me thinking, why doesn’t she ever say a word? There is the other one that never stops talking, she barely even answers when someone asks giving the shortest answer possible, why...? But wait I think I understand why more than anyone else.

Why does she always sit in the corner and never tries to step up, or to blend in? (Why did I? and why do I?) I bet she wonders a lot about how other people are already there “on the dance floor”. And what does that little smile of hers mean “yeah I heard you but I can’t think of anything to say but please just talk to me more and don’t notice that I am?” I very suppose so.

Among all the girls that came, she was the fastest to learn. Is it because she’s smart?  Well she is, but I’m sure it’s because she takes a step back and listens for as long as anyone had to speak that she comprehends things more clearly. But does that make her overly shy?  Or maybe it’s that she barely has something to say that she finds so much time to listen; either way, why is she and why am I?

Because she just doesn’t know that this world (this dance floor) belongs to her just as much as it belongs to anyone else, that no one and nothing in the world has a bit of right to hold your voice ( my voice) down regardless of how it sounds.

It’s funny how as I tell you this I’m realizing most of it for the first time even though I’ve always known it, which is making me want to think through it and look into myself deeper to learn more about the world.

To more discoveries and beautiful things to live my dearest Pierre.

Truly yours,

Marie.