Socrates 2013
A fantastic week on the Island of Crete, Greece. The warmth of their hearts out weigh the heat of their sun.
So many of the Cretans were effected by the economic challenges of the past 7 years and yet, they have the most philosophical view of life. It is their genes. The worlds great philosopher roamed the sands of time and the Mediterranean soil. It is an imbedded respect for life and nature. The understanding that money does not make a life, but a true heart and love for what you do and doing it with sincerity is what makes your life worth living.
The Cretans has a fascinating history. I will not explore that here, but welcome you to read up on Minoan and Hellenic periods. I feel we can learn much from their ways and incorporate it today.
I visited Crete 16 years ago. I am happy to say that the people are just as warm and caring as I found them 16 years ago. It restores great faith that human challenge can be overcome by focusing on what gives real meaning in life. Family has always been a key structure in Greece. They do not seem to suffer from the rest of Europe's illnesses- elderly not having anywhere to go but to a retirement home.
I will be spending the month of August 2013 on the Island. More stories to follow.
I leave you with a bit of wisdom and humor as told to me by George, my Greek horse riding friend.
There was village on Crete. It became apparent that there were no "real" men left in the village
. The women were "running" the village.
The council decide to visit the village to see if they can find a true man left in the village. The man of the village will receive a new horse and the others will receive only a chicken.
As they progressed their search, they handed out just chickens. At the last house, they found a man. He was telling his wife- wife, do this, wife do that and she did. The council thought- at last- a man deserving a horse. They told him that he was the proud owner of a new horse. They asked him what color horse he would like. The man turned to his wife and said: Wife, what color horse would you like- he got a chicken!
So many of the Cretans were effected by the economic challenges of the past 7 years and yet, they have the most philosophical view of life. It is their genes. The worlds great philosopher roamed the sands of time and the Mediterranean soil. It is an imbedded respect for life and nature. The understanding that money does not make a life, but a true heart and love for what you do and doing it with sincerity is what makes your life worth living.
The Cretans has a fascinating history. I will not explore that here, but welcome you to read up on Minoan and Hellenic periods. I feel we can learn much from their ways and incorporate it today.
I visited Crete 16 years ago. I am happy to say that the people are just as warm and caring as I found them 16 years ago. It restores great faith that human challenge can be overcome by focusing on what gives real meaning in life. Family has always been a key structure in Greece. They do not seem to suffer from the rest of Europe's illnesses- elderly not having anywhere to go but to a retirement home.
I will be spending the month of August 2013 on the Island. More stories to follow.
I leave you with a bit of wisdom and humor as told to me by George, my Greek horse riding friend.There was village on Crete. It became apparent that there were no "real" men left in the village
. The women were "running" the village.
The council decide to visit the village to see if they can find a true man left in the village. The man of the village will receive a new horse and the others will receive only a chicken.
As they progressed their search, they handed out just chickens. At the last house, they found a man. He was telling his wife- wife, do this, wife do that and she did. The council thought- at last- a man deserving a horse. They told him that he was the proud owner of a new horse. They asked him what color horse he would like. The man turned to his wife and said: Wife, what color horse would you like- he got a chicken!
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