An Encomium for a “People Person”; Simply Worded Praise that is Perhaps One of the Most Elegant, Imaginative, and Indelible You've Ever Heard!

Among the outpouring of tribute for William H. Gray III, the famous pastor and lawmaker from Philadelphia who died last month, was this elegant and imaginatively worded statement from the current mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter:

“He knew guys on the corner, and he knew Nelson Mandela and everyone in between.”

I believe the above sentence, short and simply worded and yet so evocative and stirring, can serve as a model or prototype for praising someone who is the quintessential “people person,” i.e., someone who has made an effort to connect--and succeeded in doing so--with just about every human he or she has encountered, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.

© Copyright 2013  V. J. Singal