ONE REASON MANY MOAA MEMBERS PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY AND FULLY

“The MOAA monthly luncheon was underway and I began a conversation with the man next to me. He was quiet; it was obviously his first luncheon meeting.

“After a few minutes he told me he had been a high school wood & metal shop teacher and taught at the same school for more than 30 years before retirement. And, he said, he also taught an aviation class with support from the nearby United Airlines maintenance facility.

“I asked him if he was an aviator; he told me he had been during World War II. And that interested me. Over time he told me he underwent flight training in Texas and then went overseas, flying his fighter plane to North Africa, India, and ultimately China. He said he flew the P-40. Soon he disclosed that he had been a member of the American Volunteer Force and indeed was one of the “Flying Tigers.”

“I always wondered what the parents of a high school student might have though had they known the teacher was an aviator who flew with General Chenault.

“It was the beginning of an acquaintanceship which had potential to lead to true friendship.”

One reason MOAA members attend membership luncheon or dinner meetings and serve on chapter boards of directors is to initiate acquaintanceships and indeed form lasting friendships. Being in the company of people with a common interest often leads to interpersonal relationships active beyond chapter events and activities.

Acquaintanceship

n.) A state of being acquainted, or of having intimate, or more than slight or superficial, knowledge; personal knowledge gained by intercourse short of that of friendship or intimacy; as, I know the man; but have no acquaintance with him.

(n.) A person or persons with whom one is acquainted.

Friendship

Friendship is a personal relationship shared between each friend for the welfare of other, in other words, it is the relationship of trust, faith and concern for each other feelings. It is a relationship of mutual caring and intimacy among one another. A friend is one who knows you as a person and regards you for what you are and not what he or she is looking in a good friend. Best friend is one who accepts the good as well bad qualities of his friend and also takes an initiative in correcting and mending them. Friendship is a distinctive kind of concern for your friend, it is a relationship of immense faith and love for each other.

A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they’re not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they’re not so bad. ~Arnold H. Glasgow

Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, and somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends. ~Author Unknown

A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails. ~Donna Roberts

Friendship isn’t a big thing - it’s a million little things. ~Author Unknown

Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect but are always perfect for you. ~Author Unknown

If you’re alone, I’ll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I’ll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I’ll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I’ll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I’ll just be me. ~Author Unknown

A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out. ~Grace Pulpit

There are big ships and small ships. But the best ship of all is friendship. ~Author Unknown

Such is friendship, that through it we love places and seasons; for as…flowers drop their sweet leaves on the ground around them, so friends impart flavor even to the places where they dwell. With friends even poverty is pleasant….It would be better for us that the sun were exhausted than that we should be without friends. John Chrysostom (347-407)

With so many California chapters the chapter meeting facility is one similar to the officers clubs enjoyed in years past. And the opportunity for camaraderie is still there.

Luncheon and dinner meetings provide wonderful opportunities to establish new acquaintanceships.

But it is through service on the board or as an officer, service to the wider military community, that provides the greatest chances to cement true friendships.

Comments RSS