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200 words, admiration, deep thoughts, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, family, memories, Relationships, respect, thinking
“When someone you greatly admire and respect appears to be thinking deep thoughts, they are probably thinking about lunch. ” ~ Unattributed
My uncle was recently visiting from Germany and I was telling him that my brother and I used to think that he was the coolest, smartest guy ever!
Seriously, he had the most perfect balance of easy-going, laid back confidence and hipster independent-thinking we had ever encountered in our young lives.
We greatly admired him and certainly wanted to emulate some of his attributes.
He is indeed an intelligent and well-educated man and can easily engage in conversations about most anything.
What’s not to be admired?
There’s nothing wrong with admiring the great qualities of others as long as you recognize that you bring value to the world as well.
You don’t have to be anything more than who you are to make positive contributions today and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
The next time you find yourself wishing you thought deep thoughts like someone you admire and respect, consider the possibility that they are thinking about the groceries they need to pick up.
~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~
Who do you admire and why?
talktodiana 
This reminds me of the time that a boy in my daughter’s elementary school class forget to bring a project that was due to school. He called his mother at work and convinced her to go home and bring it to school so that he won’t be penalized for being late. His mother was a physician, so patients had to wait until she got back from her errand (though my guess is that they had no clue why the doctor was running late). 🙂
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Wow, great story Sheryl – there’s no love like a mother’s love. ❤
Diana xo
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I admire people who have balance in their lives, who care about others and are good friends to have in your corner. I also admire those who exhibit great strength when life’s dealt them a hard blow. Any one who has Zen-like calm when all others about them are losing it … also has my admiration. 😉
Thank you for sharing your story about your uncle, Diana. Sometimes those who are closest to us are just a natural for us to want to emulate, especially when they’re cool like your uncle.
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I love the qualities that you admire in others Judy! Thanks for weighing in and yeah, my uncle is pretty cool. 🙂
Diana xo
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To be truthful some of the people I greatly admired in my youth WERE my uncles (and aunts).
I think that I should write to those left and tell them because I never do, they will never know.
(Even if all they do think about is buying groceries) 🙂
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haha Elizabeth! What a lovely thing it would be for you to write them.
I try to make it a practice that whenever I am grateful or thinking something good about another, to phone, write them, etc., and tell them. ❤
Diana xo
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Great to have told your uncle in person since he’s from far and doesn’t come often.
I admire / respect a number of people…several I revisited in person within the past 3 wks.
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Glad you got to visit with them Jean!
Diana xo
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You’re so right, Diana, we do tend to let ourselves become enamored with other people’s attributes and talents and fail to recognize the many we ourselves bring to the world.
A wonderful reminder, gave me the warm/fuzzies!!! 😀
~ Andrea ❤
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Glad you enjoyed this post Andrea! 😀
Diana xo
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Love this post. What a unique way of looking at it. Great advice & words to live by. I will remember this as I go about my daily life. Thanks Diana:-)
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Thanks so much my dear! ❤
Diana xo
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Agreed, good post ;).
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Thanks Rob!
Diana xo
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Great post Diana, I admire those who challenge me and help me become a better person and find that everyone in my life teaches me something new.
Karen
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That’s always a good thing Karen! 🙂
Diana xo
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I think it’s wonderful that you and your brother picked your uncle as somebody to admire, and I like your reasons why, too. I hope he was flattered when you told him such these years later. I think admiring what others bring to the world is an important step when you’re young in figuring out what you bring to the world, Diana. This was a great thought-provoking, post, my friend. 🙂
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Thanks Mark! Yes, he grinned when I told him. 🙂
Diana xo
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“…as long as you recognize that you bring value to the world as well.” Perfect, Diana. Thank you.
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Thanks Eric!! ❤
Diana xo
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I love the idea of taking an appreciative stance when evaluating the thoughts and opinions of others … And ourselves!
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Me too, thanks Ian!
Diana xo
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Some of us really do think deep thoughts and never think about groceries!
Seriously, though, most of my role models have been teachers. There was a guy I knew online back in the late 80s. An older (to me at the time — in fact, maybe my age now) gentleman, always level in his comments, very educated and cultured, his was a very respected voice in any group he participated in. I always wished to be like him.
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From what I’ve read from you Smitty, sounds like you got your wish! ❤
Diana xo
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Aw, you’re so sweet! I can only wish!
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😀 !
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I know I have a few I looked up to…. but st the moment only my grand fathers vome to mind. … one was as strong as an ox (a blacksmith) and the other an artist (a carpenter) ,, 2 gentlemen I could easily look up to…
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They sound like wonderful men bulldog! 🙂
Diana xo
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LOL — I once took Alexis to a documentary (she was 8, the doc was Baraka – not the Pres btw). It had no words, just 2 hours of images and music from around the world. At one point, during a scene from Mecca with thousands upon thousands of pilgrims walking around and around Mecca in a circle, Alexis leaned over and whispered, “Imagine trying to find Waldo in all that!”
I thought she was taking in all the wonders and maybe even thinking about how she was going to change the world…. 🙂
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That’s hilarious – I love it Louise! 😀
Diana xo
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I admire many people, Diana! Your post, though, made me think of what someone said about me once. When I was working at the bank, a co-worker told me that no matter how difficult a customer was, I always appeared calm, cool and collected, and she admired me for that. Ha! If she only knew that at times I was seething inside. I guess I’m a pretty good actress. 🙂
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You’re awesome Jennifer, I’m sure you are wonderful with customers and she wished she could do the same! ❤
Diana xo
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Aw shucks, Diana… ❤
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