Summer to remember -- Part 3- The People.

People -- The Coming Together or the Gathering

So for a short period this summer there was a mini migration of folk from  -- essentially -- the Croydon & Sutton areas to the Greek island of Aegina, so basically from this ----

 

To this -----

 

 

Look I am sorry but while there might be plenty of days that those die-hard's in the UK can point to as evidence of a great summer, the reality usually ends up being something a little different , and one where those in Greece can point to the 3 days of rain in the summer rather than similar amount of days with the sun in the UK.

 

So when the idea was floated about Terry and the now Mrs Charlotte Campbell getting married on the Island of Aegina in Greece , along comes the logistical question of who of those that we/they and everyone would expect to want to be at a wedding -- as apposed to those who would want to catch a plane and go to a wedding 1500+ miles away and make it a summer break of some kind, at the same time.

 

 

It is a fact that many friends or relations of Terry & Charlotte could not actually make the trip and there were others who had already made plans way in advance to special places that clashed and could not be changed, all of whom may have come had the wedding been in a church around Sutton. However , even with those no-shows there was still the logistics of not only getting some -- 60 people from all over to the island , but also for some major accommodation issues that on the whole were not in the end that bad.

 

If you add to that the fact that as some individuals don't like flying and therefore decided to drive -- well it makes it all the more remarkable.

 

Fortunately for Lynda and me , there were many folk who we had no issue with getting into places such as Giannis at the Electra Hotel ---

 

 

Clean , well appointed and reasonably priced with a very eccentric owner who wants everything to be perfect, which our friends and relatives took over for a fortnight.

 

There was family with J , Lynsey and the Boys with us in Kardia, and Juliet and the family in a really nice apartment round the corner from us in the middle of town.

 

And the Danae Hotel with a large number of suitably aged friends that had the opportunity to take care of one another before and after the wedding with good rates for all here for the wedding.

 

 

Then there were others who rented Villas and houses for the duration , especially as it suited both types of guests.

1. first there were those in a large group who wanted to be sure to be all together in somewhere that gave a bit of Luxury and had enough facilities that meant they didn't have to be out and about all the time and that certainly applies to the Villa Aelia, near Perdika---

 

 

-- Tis kind of living the dream, with the only down side being that it is a fair way from Aegina Town so almost always a taxi to and from. Never mind-- once supplies were stocked up there were some opportunity for amazing Bar-b-q's with views to die for.

 

2. The others was for a place where friends could meet up with family , allowing them to trial the living environment on the island in advance of maybe taking somewhere more permanent next year.

 

Remember the saying -- "Once you have drunk the water in Aegina , you always come back"

 

I love water so look at me.

 

So back to the issues at hand and that is the integration of 60 odd people into an island culture that not all will have experienced or even like. Which brings me to the point that we are all different  -- for Good and for Bad -- new are all born unique and should be accepted for that fact and to allow for our individualism to be able to be shown and shared.

 

It doesn't mean that everyone has to like that from others but we all have a right to it.

Here in Aegina we also have to accept that when inviting over 50% of the guests to come from the Island itself then the mix becomes even more eclectic , diverse and have cultures that can be far removed from the everyday life that others understand.

What you need in the mix are GOOD people and we have had help from a number of those -- like these 2 for instance---

 

 

What Masha and Lee managed to ram into their car as well as fitting Jess in was nothing short of a miracle - well maybe not for their SUV but certainly for Lynda and me -  as was what they took back with them the presents that Terry and Charlotte would never have managed to get home.

 

There was also evidence from a number of people that encourages me that there are still good people about when you need them but always remember this rule-----

 

And the simple answer is that you cant anyway.

 

What you can do is though to try to find the Good in people, even if you don't always feel that you are successful.

This message should be read by anyone who knows me to know that this is what I am like and they will recognise it is who I am---

 

I really like Emerson and one of his sayings from such a long time ago that I have always tried to follow since I first read it over 20 years ago is -----

I have always tried to think a little outside the box and to create better ways to do things -- not for me , although I guess I would benefit from others following . There are always choices to be made in the world , some good and some bad , and without doubt , education and mentors play a very big part as t the choices we make.

I truly believe that the following statement is a fair reflection of the majority of People. I think there are always going to be those that make bad choices due to their personal circumstances and of course there are always going to be those  minority that make bad choices because it is in their make-up and they know no other way.

 

This was written by a young girl who with her sister died in Bergen Belsen in 1945 of Typhus. If someone who suffered as she did at the hands of her oppressors can still think like this there must be hope for us all.

And before anyone jumps all over this page-- well any of those wo might choose to read this -- being and choosing to be a good person has absolutely nothing to do with religion. you do not have to believe in any religion to be good ,it is just  how a person is and what they choose to be like. So you can be good and be religious or be good and be non-religious -- religion does not dictate it. Otherwise with the amount of religion there is around , then the world would be full of good people and it aint that yet by a mile.
 

 I am not sure as to the chances of "Operation Nice " ever being possible in my lifetime , especially when there are those around who have no problems with generating hatred and discontent, but you know what -- if none of us did what is the right thing regularly then this world will become a very bad place -- worse than it is right now.

Old fashioned values -- maybe -- although there is still evidence that these principles are still embraced by some. Is it more prevalent in those of a certain age , who happen to remember when these things were an everyday occurrence rather than by chance and only on odd occasions now.

 

We will never all be like this chap nor am I sure that we should aspire to being a Saint or angel because that would tell me that individuality will have disappeared.

 

What we can do though is extend a hand to those who need help-- to be there for people less fortunate than us and to don the right thing even when no-one is looking.

 

 

 

A lot of what is needed by people are the things listed here below -- Listen occasionally as others may have something meaningful to say-- be careful to communicate accurately and not get misunderstood-- be careful of social media and how you react or how you answer people and for sure do not let the internet become your tool of choice to communicate to people, that just becomes so impersonal and you will end up losing the ability to directly be in contact with colleagues, friends and relations .

 

 

This below might not always be possible but it should not stop the majority of us from trying to be like this.

 

But if you can achieve this then you can understand that you made a difference---

 

 

 

 

Wow , did I ever deviate from where I started.

 

I guess what I am trying very badly to show is that there are a multitude of different people with different ways that they portray themselves, they are in the main good people and we are very grateful to the many who helped and advised in both the lead up to the wedding of Terry & Charlotte and to those helping on the day.

 

Without all of this Lynda and I could not have made it through with some kind of sanity left, so for that we are very grateful.

 

For me though the goodness that I see all the time is from my wife Lynda who just wants everyone to be happy and with regard to the wedding she has always only ever wanted those who came, to leave with the very best of memories and to have had the most amazing time.

 

That's not for us to say but for others that have a view from the day. What I am able to say though is in the following message---

 

 

 

That's us