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Are you a Diamond or a Sponge?

The world can be divided into two sorts of people..[finish the sentence with your own favourite ending]. My father’s contribution to the numerous variations on this was: ‘The world can be divided into two sorts of people – diamonds and sponges’.

His idea was that there are sponge-people, who absorb energy and light from those around them (sometimes when old age pensioners seek the company of the young, it is in part because they can absorb some of their youthful energy – though this is of course not usually a conscious process). Have you ever spent the evening at a party and felt completely drained and exhausted by the end of the evening? You were probably in the company of one or more sponges.

In contrast, think of evenings when you set out feeling too tired to enjoy yourself but found, by the end, that you were stimulated and more energised than you were at the beginning, with your head spinning as you then tried to sleep. You must have been in the company of one or more diamond-people.

Of course, all diamonds have their sponge moments, if only from exhaustion, though true sponges rarely have diamond days. It is partly the difference between extravert and introvert, though not entirely. Diamonds are generous with themselves: their ‘radiance’ sustains them, but also spills over abudantly on to those around them, without in any way becoming less.

The Roman writer Martial said:

Extra fortunam est quidquid donatur amicis
Quas dederis, solas semper habebis opes.

A free English translation became our family motto:

What we gave we have;
What we spent, we kept;
What we kept, we lost.

I think diamond-people are naturally drawn to blogging, perhaps particularly in the field of religion and spirituality. I have been extremely lucky in the last few weeks to have come across several, who have helped me greatly through their (not) random acts of kindness, and I pay tribute to them all here (they know who they are). I have been warned that things get tough in the blogosphere, which I will be prepared for, but thanks to my new diamonds I have had a very welcoming start.

 Note: The photograph is actually of a cubic zirconia by Gregory Philips from Wikimedia under CCL

8 comments on this post:

UKViewer said...
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I wonder if I am either or neither. I have just spent an evening talking to to a small Benefice Home Group about my life, work and why I am now a Christian.

I found myself in the Diamond position, sharing and giving while the group members were in this context the sponges.

What I found really challenging was the Q&A afterwards. Asked some quite at times, challenging questions, explaining myself and trying to give some insight into my life.

I was then privileged that some of them chose to share some of their experiences with me, which allowed me to become the sponge.

This is Christian outreach working. Some there are not regular church attenders, but are all committed to community and their group is one of the mainstays of it. They are involved in lots across five villages and I felt honoured to be asked and to be in their company.

God is giving me so many opportunities to be both Diamond and Sponge. Bring them on!

09 May 2011 22:02
Lay Anglicana said...
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Oh UKViewer, I am pretty sure you are a natural diamond! But it is not just that diamonds talk and sponges listen. (Have you never felt tempted to nod off during a sermon that seemed interminable?!)

09 May 2011 22:27
UKViewer said...
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Perhaps I've been lucky since joining the CofE, never nodded off. Now in my RC day ZZZZZZZZZ order of the day.

09 May 2011 22:38
Lay Anglicana said...
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Mike JulietBravo sees this as Radiators versus Drains (interesting that I used the word ‘radiance’ to describe my diamonds…)

01 November 2011 10:43
Jonathan said...
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Thanks Laura lots of sharing. The world is divided into two sorts of people Alpha & Omega
Have a great evening.

Lay Anglicana said...
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Thank-you very much Jonathan!

04 May 2012 07:39
03 May 2012 18:19
Wayne Mansfield said...
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Just love the saying:

‘The world can be divided into two sorts of people – diamonds and sponges’.

I know both types and I know which type I would rather be with

Lay Anglicana said...
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Agreed!

04 May 2012 14:44
04 May 2012 13:04

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