Whatever else Benjamin Franklin knew (a lot of many things to many men and women) he may have known himself best of all. He knew about 'soulspace' perhaps more than anyone else in the past or present celebrity world - both a mental and physical place.. Philadelphia was his favorite city- "more wide open than New York," he said. Yes, that' word is hard to define. H seemed to suggest is is where a person feels he/she flourishes best., The city was where he felt most at home- as the author Eric Weiner of a new book called 'Ben and Me' might define it: He certainly prospered there although he spent many of his long years (death from pleurisy in April of 1784 ) in Europe - especially London (not his favorite, being as he saw a closed society).
Among his many inventions, Weiner writes is - most surprisingly - a glass harmonica,. Nothing was too challenging for him - not even editing Thomas Jefferson's words for the Declaration of Independence' the corrected from TJ"S original: We hold these truths to be self-sufficient that all men are created equal." Of advice, the old sage had plenty. Notably, as Weiner recounts, he had three rules or advice for any age. Number one was to listen to guard your anger, to doubt your convictions, and, above all, 'be curious.' The influencer of his day was also the original 'social entrepreneur., although, surprisingly, Weiner notes, Franklin was quiet among strangers . Also, somewhat of a surprise, the multitalented Franklin said the best way for getting along with others was "get someone to do you a favor.'
In this 250th year of this country's ongoing origin(we invent as we go along, still trying to figure out what this experiment called democracy is all about). Franklin above all was tough and fussy, believing 'only the virtuous people are capable of freedom.'
A tough number, as we might say in modern idiom.
But such stern words from a largely self-taught man were accompanied by good humor and a flirtatious personality.All of which makes him, in Weiner's words, "the least dead of our founding fathers.' That isn't to forget Ben's somewhat careless and selfish attitudes to the women in his life. Lots of them apparently. But so goes the mystery of the man that books interpreting him keep rolling off the pressses.
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In a far less touted method of 'reaching out,' it might be useful to suggest how even local, everyday interactions of people can be revelatory and humbling. Perhaps even thrilling. On personal note, I was recently within hours on a humid hot day walking and "Metroing' as I often do. I had no special thoughts in my head when I found myself hailed at a street crossing by a woman driver holding a bottle of water out the window. I supposed that, seeing my exposure to the really horrid weather she meant to offer it to me. (DOubtless she felt sorry for me from her air conditioned car. I thanked her indicating I was carrying some H20 for relief so she would not have to stop and hold up traffic behind her.It was notable because she was Black and I seldom have ever had such generous encounters with strangers.
Later that afternoon I was seated in one of Metro's chard cement passenger benches awaiting a train when I noticed a youngish Black man sitting beside me tying some sort of butterfly decoration to the top of his sneakers. It's currently a trend among young girls, I had been told by an 11-year-old. Bravo for the fellow's attempt to add some flair to his everyday attire and told him so. In response, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a bottle of soda, indicating with a gesture that I might want to take it or share. That just is not normal (but assuredly welcome) behavior among strangers on a public platform...I might have tried engaging him in some conversation but the train was pulling in and, once aboard, he seated himself from me some distance away.
Ah, well, ring a bell for possibilities.
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I'm reminded of how people generally distance themselves from others so deliberately in a closed space and how difficult it is for so many in Washington's transportation system to reach out to others. Not longI broke the rule while on a bus seated next to a woman reading what I thought seemed to be an unusual printed form. Our physical closeness - seated next to one another in the front 'senior/handicapped' section - made it easy to engage. It turns out she and I were to get off at the same spot but I was unclear where the bus stop would be. She offered to help me find my way....
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