Wu wei, or, Saying the right thing:

A few days ago, Patrick sent me an email about something in my Weblog. I thought about what he'd written, and posted some more thoughts on the subject, without quoting his email.

I got an email that felt like an attack.

My first impulse was to strike out in response.

But we're friends. Not family, but friends. Having a conversation, not participating in a public debate. So, instead, I sent him a message, telling him that I felt attacked, and if he wanted to send a message that didn't read like a lawyer cross-examining a hostile witness, I'd reply.

He did. With an apology at the beginning, and some good points after it. An email I could answer, and did.

It would have been so damned easy to do the wrong thing, jump onto jagged rocks for no good reason.

I need to remember this.

Wu wei, or, Saying the right thing:

A few days ago, Patrick sent me an email about something in my Weblog. I thought about what he'd written, and posted some more thoughts on the subject, without quoting his email.

I got an email that felt like an attack.

My first impulse was to strike out in response.

But we're friends. Not family, but friends. Having a conversation, not participating in a public debate. So, instead, I sent him a message, telling him that I felt attacked, and if he wanted to send a message that didn't read like a lawyer cross-examining a hostile witness, I'd reply.

He did. With an apology at the beginning, and some good points after it. An email I could answer, and did.

It would have been so damned easy to do the wrong thing, jump onto jagged rocks for no good reason.

I need to remember this.