I can even accept phonies.

I tell many people that I can accept them as they are. More or less unconditionally. Doesn’t matter whether we have disagreements. And unresolved issues. They can be very much unlike me. And quite possibly, they may dislike me. And can’t accept me as I am. Which is all right with me. I don’t expect everybody to accept me as I am. They may want to change me. Or just plain ignore me. That’s fine. It’s meant as a compliment when I tell people I genuinely accept them as they are. That’s always been the case with the two true loves I’ve had in my life. And the same goes for many of my friends and acquaintances. Often, I like them just because they are different. Independent beings. They are themselves. They aren’t faking it. But even if they are faking it – well, that’s another way of being themselves. True blue fakes/phonies. Think about it. They were born to be fakes/phonies. Take the politician Newt Gingrich, for instance. There’s nobody more fake/phony than Newt. And I think he knows it. But that doesn’t stop him from being fake/phony. I gotta give Newt credit for that. I accept him. Phony Newt and all. –Jim Broede