When one hears the name “John Paul,” the person who immediately comes to mind is Pope John Paul II, who served as the head of the Roman Catholic Church for more than 25 years.  His name implies there was another John Paul–John Paul I–John Paul II’s immediate predecessor.  Few remember John Paul I, and his impact on the church as Pope was slight, because he served in that role for only 33 days in 1978 when he died suddenly in his sleep at age 65.

Before becoming Pope he wrote a fascinating collection of 40 letters to historical and fictional people–from Jesus to Mark Twain to King David to Pinocchio.  These letters were eventually published in the book Illustrissimi (or To the Illustrious Ones).  The letter to Pinocchio reflects John Paul I’s lifelong affection for his wooden friend and provides much advice.

At one point in the letter, he says something that’s still quite relevant and worthy of reflection by anyone who deals with people–and I guess that includes all of us.

“My Pinocchio, there are two famous sentences . . . . I recommend you the first one, by Lacordaire:  ‘Have an opinion and assert it.’  The second one, by Clemenceau, and I do not recommend it at all:  ‘He has no ideas, but he defends them passionately.’”