Gaining a little objectivi - MONEMVASSIA, GREECE -- It was a brilliant, hot afternoon and the young couple, | in their 20s, had just come out of the ocean at the base of this Byzantine-Vene- tian fortress... The clear water near the southern tip of the Peloponnese, 180 km southwest of Athens, turned out to be too chilly to tempt my wife Mandy and me, so we chatted with the couple in- stead. They were on a motorcycle camping holiday. She, it turned out, had come from Chicago and found happiness in Hania, on Crete. He taught in Hania, but ‘! just work enough to carn the money I need to live on."” ‘We saw her again the next morning, as we had breakfast outside our rather basic hotel (the beds were made of concrete because it was the cheapest build- ing material). She shared with us some sweet rolls she’d just bought at the bakery, we reciprocated with but- ter and jam. She was taking - breakfast back to her boyfriend, who was still asleep above the ’ beach in the hut where they had spread their sleeping bags. Funny how those who have rel- atively little, even in our own -. culture, are often among the most willing to share what they do have. . You need to get away from home regularly, whether it’s on a Major adventure across the globe or just to a place across town.’ You need that distance to gain objectivity about what you’re do- ing with your life. - What are your priorities? Should you review your needs to . see if you could indeed live on a little less, perhaps work a little less — and perhaps share a little _ More — like the young couple from Crete? ' _.., Most of us need to get back to some of the basics we might have * forgotten, to people, to what real- : ly counts in life. You lose sight of - PRESIDENT'S _ COURT ¢ Concrete and steel construction ensuring quiet enjoyment 1200 square feet to 2100 square feet of ongoing luxury Private fitness facility Large hobby and craft area Pre-completion prices available Choose from one of three colour schemes Rosly n 538 -0952 Open daily 10:00am - 8:00put. Except Sunday . Cali Rosyln or one of her friendly sales associates: Lhisa, Rita or Lionel _ tep of the the Acropolis, to admire a Kerkhoff Michael DOLLARS AND SENSE these things when you are too close, too caught up in your everyday life and work. Regular readers will know 1 en- courage people to take time to smeil the roses. Mandy and I are following that advice here on a spring flowers tour led by David Tarrant, host of CBC-TV’s Ca- nadian Gardener, education coor- dinator for the UBC Botanical Garden and Vancouver Sun garden columnist. We are taking time to smell the blossoms on the orange and lemon trees, to wonder at scarlet fields of wild poppies, to find wild crocuses on rocky slopes just below the snow line, And to be reminded that no matter how little money you have, you can always give something, whether it’s a rose from your garden or a sympathetic ear. The value lies in sharing what you do have, as our experiences here re- mind us over and over. . In Athens, we stopped at the Plaka, by the base of Exelusive Suites With Excellent Amenities President's Court is an intimate community with only 38 luxury homes. served hy three elevators. [Fincludes a private fitness facility. a guest suite. lounge and hobby aml craft area, beautiful arbor of fragrant roses. A woman came out of the house, picked the largest of the blooms and gave it to me. Also in Athens, we had to ad- mit defeat in a gift-giving mara- thon with the owner of a hole- in-the-wall produce shop. We bought some fruit and, with sign language, asked if he could point out a local restaurant. He not on- ly walked with us to the place but also bought us a flagon of retsina. So after lunch, we stopped by a pastry shop to buy something for. him. He responded by giving us some tangerines and pears. We then gave him the rose and he gave us more fruit. Before we left Athens, we gave him a mug and a half-bottle of wine. He gave us some oranges and a whole bottle of wine. On Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday, we were walking through the tiny village of Aptera, in the hills a few kilometres southeast of Hania on Crete.:A local family invited us to share in food and drink. We. helped turn the two sheep they were roasting over an open pit. © In the equally tiny village of Vouno, on the way to Sparta, Helen Pipilas invited all 18 of us into her modest home for Greek coffee after our bus driver, seek- ing directions, mentioned we were Canadians. She told us she had worked in the kitchen at Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto. Perhaps you can’t always give back something to the person from whom you receive. But you can always pass something on to the next person. And it doesn’t have to be money. Mike Grenby is a North Shore-based columnist and in- dependent financial adviser who works with individuals. He will answer your questions as space allows — write to him c/o The North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver V7M 2H4, The Freedom of Security Peace-of-mind is ae re of tie P@& ‘ouirt slate or vel easstnar both the conggiob deus and your suite are protected by excellent SOCUFRY syslents, A resident manager also contributes to your well-being and security. All the Presidential Privileges President's Court offers quality and luxury in the traditional manner. Countless opportunities Jor an active lifestyle in our intimate, friendly community. Located at historic 5 Corners, offering the finest presidential address. 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