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I’m a fan of Modern Family, and especially of the character Phil Dunphy. Part sage, part dunce, it’s easy for him to steal the show. In last week’s episode, Phil gives his daughter a book of his accumulated wisdom, in proverb form, as a going away to college present. Some of my favorites:
- You only get one chance at a first impression. I suggest Julia Child because it´s easy to do.
- You can tell a lot about a person from his biography.
- Watch a sunrise at least once a day.
- When life gives you lemonade, make lemons. Life will be all “Whaaaat?”
And then there’s Phil on marriage and relationships:
- The most amazing things that can happen to a human being will happen to you if you just lower your expectations.
- Marry someone who looks sexy while disappointed.
I actually think these are really quite brilliant. Our expectations for constant happiness and entertainment, for example, should be lowered. If they were, we’d be more resilient to change, more equipped to fix things (and relationships) rather than toss them aside. And, since you know you’re going to disappoint your spouse on occasion, find someone who accepts this and loves you in spite of your disappointing moments.
The wittiness of Phil’s-osophies lies in their brevity, so I’ll take a page from his book and end it here. What’s your favorite bit of Phil wisdom?
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Here’s another Modern Family inspired post – This Flash Mob is My Love Letter to You.
Always look people in the eye, even if they’re blind. Just say, “I’m looking you in the eye.”
You can certainly see your expertise in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.