Surround yourself with people more intelligent than you, and you will go far. ~ someone famous, maybe

Each person in this world is unique. We can share some of the same thoughts with others on this planet, but ultimately each of us holds characteristics that make us unique. You do not have to take my word for this fact. All you have to do is go to the tag #tts started by @Ablaze.

My great friend @InTheNow wrote a post this week called Three Tune Tuesday - W74 - Music For The Apocalypse. He tagged me in it and waited for my response. While I love the music, he personally makes and posts on the blockchain in NFT form. IntheNow's personal choice of music is far from what I love to listen to.

Making each other listen to what we know the other will, well, hate is a strong word; dislike has become a fun weekly giggle we get to have between us.

This is a simple example of people not agreeing on everything yet still being close friends, which is what is now missing in our world.

No one person will ever be correct in their thinking about everything. One person can't know everything. If you can not pull knowledge from worldwide, your ideas, thoughts, and beliefs will always be squished or skewed.

With this being the case, it always amazes me when I come across people who only talk to others who agree with their ideas. If you can not stand to be around others that think differently than you, who is really the intellectual?

Wow! That went deep fast. Let's move on to another person I admire. She is new to the blockchain. Her writing is getting better and better each and every day. Watching someone grow so fast in their ability to perfect their writing skills has become an extraordinary phenomenon. @Grindan is the reason I am making this post.

@Grindan wrote a post called How my Mantras help me Along- LOH prompt #105. I had seen the questions from the @LadiesofHive weekly contest post and thought to myself... I do not have a mantra. I went on my merry way, not thinking about writing anything until...

I know it's impolite to dump your issues on people, but I also don't think we should buy into the concept that it's best to hold it in. When we hide our pain, we teach those around us to do the same. Together we hold together this flimsy notion that we should mask our humanity.~@Grindan

I agree with Grindans statement above one hundred percent. I also know Grindan likes the same kind of music InTheNow likes. shivers. Yet her young age and terrible choice of music did not stop me from getting to know her right after she came to Hive.

I saw someone asking intelligent questions about Hive. Someone in need of understanding. A person who needed a place to write down her thoughts and not be judged by what she wrote about.

From the little I could read of Grindan's posts, they made me want to read more, but with the way she was formatting her posts, I could only read for so long, and my head would start to pound. I found a way to connect with her off the chain. I showed her why reading on a computer screen is harder on a person's eyes than reading a book. How because of this, she might want to look into adding white space to her posts.

About three weeks went by. Grindan found many, many people she jelled with on Hive. She was always asking questions and learning. Her posts showed a progression that was fun to watch. I still could not read her posts for very long without getting a headache, but I did try. I offered her support privately about life issues we have in common, and we made each other laugh and smile. I was happy.

One day #GINABOT told me that Grindan had just written a post. Oh, speaking of Ginabot, can someone please get her up and running again? PLEASEEEEES!!

I just upset my son @Ecoinstant while reading this post because he says I never follow a straight line when writing. I do not go from a, b, and c when writing. This is a tad boring to read in my book. But he loves me and will forgive my rambling because I am his Mother.

Now, where was I? Oh! Yes, Grindan and her squishy posts. One day I read her newest post, and my mind was BLOWN! I could read it all the way through and not get a headache!! I was so excited!! The best part was that Grindan found her own way of formatting that she was comfortable with, and I could also read.

She did not copy what I had told her but took the ideas I told her and implemented them in such a way as to make both of us happy. How perfectly Human is that!!

Two people with different ways of looking at life, learning from each other, yet putting their own personal spin on what they bring into the world. Life doesn't get any better than that.

I will also say that when InTheNow and Grindan ask how I am doing, I will tell them the truth as they do me. Words like Okay and Fine should never be an answer a friend will take when asking the question, How are you today?

All this to say, my mantra would be offer people information to help them but then give them the room to take that information and use it as they see fit. If they do not use it, it's okay. You can still become friends and stay friends with a person even if you have differing views.

The last and most important mantra I have is:

Help Someone smile today. It doesn't hurt you, and you might save a life.

I wrote this post for Ladies of Hive Community Contest #105. I think I answered question 1️⃣ Do you have a personal guiding principle (or a mantra) by which you live? If you do, what is it, and how is it impacting your life so far?

Thank you, @ThekittyGirl, for being YOU!