December 28, 1943

12/28/43
Dear Harry,
Hello there you happy moron. That letter you wrote me after you saw the light was a relief. It was much more like your usual self. Then this last one, very profound and thoughtful, I liked it too. It is a good to get letters from you. It seems that this thing has brought us closer together. I like it. It makes me fell like I’m needed ever so little. People have to feel that they are needed or the loose the purpose of living.

You have done some thinking, and what is more you have admitted you are wrong. Thinking is one of the most important things we can do but that isn’t enough, we stop thinking sometimes when we run up against something that requires us to admit we have been wrong. That is the danger of stubborness. Stubborness can be a good trait if it is not over done, it must be tempered by thought honesty with oneself. You mentioned Norma being stubborn when opposed, that is one of the easiest things to do. As I anylize it it seems to have something to do with people liking to feel important. To admit makes you feel small and unimportant. This is exactly the opposite of the actual fact. Really the person that can admit being wrong in far superior to the one that won’t admit it. What do you think of that sermon.

Your buying that watch is so like you. and so natural too. I’ll bet Dad thought a thing or two when he found it out. If I were going to get a wrist watch I suspect I’d get one at least that expensive. I’d want one of those dustproof shockproof jobs. The less expensive ones cause more trouble and cost more than they are worth in the long run. One of the guys in camp has one that cost him about 70 bucks, say it’s a dandy. I’ll bet yours is a dinger too.

I’d like to mention that theory that Norma has about there any only one mate. That Adam argument is alright if you are convinced that Adam was anything more than a legend. I’m not convinced of that. The Bible is might good stuff and I still read it a lot but after studying the history of it and the translations it went through and learning that no one knows for sure about the original I’m not going to let something that doesn’t look logical influience me just cause it is in a book that has a lot of truth in it and claims to be the only word of God. In short I’ve become too much of a sceptic to believe every thing in the Bible. I used to think about the same as Norma about mates but I got some different ideas that seem better to me. And Adam don’t cut any ice with me at all. If she gets to knocking around with the kids that go to Drake she may get enlightened a little. Most colleges don’t have much time for Adam any more.

One more thing, Norma sent me a much too nice Christmas present. I don’t know why, she may feel very grateful to me for letting her cry on my sholder. I havn’t written her thanking her yet (single spacing cause I’m running out of paper) I wrote to her the next day after I answered your ‘bad news’ letter and I havn’t heard from her yet. If I don’t hear soon I shall write her a thank you letter and schold her a little for spending too much on me. I’m a little afraid she may be angery with me for telling you what did. I told her that I quoted her letters where I thought it would do some good. We will see what her reaction will be. I thought It best to be frank and honest with her from the first. Things built on deceit won’t last. I think the whole truth in important. Drop a line soon.

Yours
Bernard