San
I have been presented with an interesting opportunity at work. My director asked me to prepare some simple training for her Asia-Pacific team. It is not a big deal, but has been interesting to communicate with the participants. I will be meeting with one from Guam, his name is Burt. There is a lady from Hong Kong, Shirley Koo or Ms. Koo. Finally there will be a young lady from Tokyo. Her name is Yukiko Sekiya. I am supposed to refer to her as Sekiya-san.
I find it all interesting. I guess the tradition in Japan to show respect is to always call an individual by their last name and add the -san. I don't know what it means, but that is what they do. Oddly enough, she refers to our director and myself by our first names-san. I was a little taken back by that. Does that mean that I must first earn her respect? I offer the respect to her right away, trying to stay with in the traditions of her country. My director tells me that it is nothing, just a misunderstanding about names.
But you know me, I have been thinking about it all day. Don't we all just want a little respect. What does it take to earn that respect? How many of us are doing what is worthy of that respect or any respect at all for that matter? How many of us show the proper respect to our creator?
I was communicating with my princess this evening via instant messaging. At one point, I felt like her attention had been taken some where else. She was taking a long time to respond to me. I push the limit. I wanted to know what she was doing or if she had just stopped talking to me. She informed me that she was talking to someone else. In jest, I started harping on her. How could she just stop talking to her father to talk to some one else? She informed me that it was different when you were speaking to someone face to face.
That comment struck me. I wonder how often we stop talking to our Heavenly Father, because of what is in our face here on earth? This is something to think about. I am sure we could all do better.
I find it all interesting. I guess the tradition in Japan to show respect is to always call an individual by their last name and add the -san. I don't know what it means, but that is what they do. Oddly enough, she refers to our director and myself by our first names-san. I was a little taken back by that. Does that mean that I must first earn her respect? I offer the respect to her right away, trying to stay with in the traditions of her country. My director tells me that it is nothing, just a misunderstanding about names.
But you know me, I have been thinking about it all day. Don't we all just want a little respect. What does it take to earn that respect? How many of us are doing what is worthy of that respect or any respect at all for that matter? How many of us show the proper respect to our creator?
I was communicating with my princess this evening via instant messaging. At one point, I felt like her attention had been taken some where else. She was taking a long time to respond to me. I push the limit. I wanted to know what she was doing or if she had just stopped talking to me. She informed me that she was talking to someone else. In jest, I started harping on her. How could she just stop talking to her father to talk to some one else? She informed me that it was different when you were speaking to someone face to face.
That comment struck me. I wonder how often we stop talking to our Heavenly Father, because of what is in our face here on earth? This is something to think about. I am sure we could all do better.
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