"I ain't well--but I sure am better": Mutual need therapy

Service time was excellent. Jess Lair who died in 2000 helped an extraordinary group of people with his innovative ideas on coping with life.

The words of Jess Lair have appealed to me for many years, as he writes in an easy, humorous manner. After a near-fatal heart attack in his 30's, Lair began to examine the life choices he had made. Eventually, he chose to end his high-stress career as an advertising executive, and became a teacher. There he found the fulfillment he'd been looking for. Yet, he began to ask himself the big questions, such as "why am I lonely, and what can I do about it?" He came up with the concept of "Mutual Need Therapy." He writes, "The beginning of life is with people where we see our mutual need for each other. Mutuality is when we find someone who we like and who likes us just the way we are. Neither of us have any plans for improving the other person. We feel good when we are with them." I love Lair's sense of humor when he says, "I used to want everybody in the world to be just like me. Then I realized what an awful world it would be if I got up some morning and met nothing but a succession of Jess Lair's through the day. I'd commit suicide by noon. The terrible boredom and monotony would kill me." He contemplates diversity. "Each of us are so different. But once in awhile we find someone who likes our particular set of differences. Why did God make such a different bunch? That's so there would be some other nuts just like me." His deep insights into human nature are couched in a folksy manner, which belies the great intellect of Lair. I own most of his books, and revisit them from time to time. I believe that says a lot about this good man, and terrific author.

Real writing for a real man. Very honest feelings in a very simple and easy to read writing style.