It seems to me that negativity must be a normal human response. It must be easier and more natural for people to express their negative feelings and ideas instead of the positive.

We scarcely need the calendar to confirm that summer begins on Saturday, June 21.

“From the mouths’ of babes,” is the old standby saying usually muttered just after a small child has pointed a finger and uttered a stark truth, just as the child did in “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”

We live in an exceptional community. It’s amazing that there are nearly 100 English-speaking groups here that meet regularly. In addition to providing a niche for every expat’s special interest, there’s a whole myriad of organizations working to make the lives of others better.

Many of us heard our grandmothers say, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” While they lived in more polite times with different dos and don’ts, their advice is still apt here, today.