Nakamura-kun

I have few friends. Depending on the day of the week and how I feel, the merit of that state varies. One of my friends came to visit a few days ago, I love this young man because he is earnest. He speaks his mind in a refreshing way that is rare, most people think him a jerk. I call him a role-model.

A polite person is enviable, one whose words are honest, appropriate, "seasoned with salt" the Bible says. The excess of politeness becomes lying and flattery. This is were I often find myself dithering in my day to day. It frustrates me somewhat, yes I do long for every woman to wish their significant other spoke to them as considerately as I do, without reaching the extents to which I wander in an effort to be 'nice'! The deficiency of politeness, on the other had, is crass. Also known as "foot-in-mouth disease." I know little of it, I have witnessed it and long to ever forget those moments for the sake of those involved.

Nakamura-kun, unlike me will say something is stupid if it is, he will as quickly (and easily) applaud something praiseworthy. The mark of a jerk in my mind is one who always picks out the negative points, one who has few or no compliments. Nakamura-kun is not that. We will sit and discuss faith (I miss that), the absence of faith and wisdom in our peers, our college experiences, the wonderful (and less than so) people we met, the idiots that we shared laughs with, differences in cultures and so forth. Our time together is very rewarding. I have not found such honesty anywhere else, especially with regards to spiritual things. It is difficult (even with fellow believers) to speak of the Way, the things we are learning, even the battles we are fighting. When we do speak, we are deficiently tentative. Without openness we may as well remain silent for little benefit comes from it.

I long to foster a culture of honesty. That people would know me to be a man of my word, a man who speaks earnestly, as it is written, "the truth with love." Maybe not so much as to spill my innards, but to say precisely what I mean at all times. Like Nakamura-kun.