"What do they say about meeting a bear in the woods? Oh right, you shouldn't. And to make sure you don't, you should make a lot of noise so that they'll will know where you are and keep their distance because, supposedly, they're as nervous of us as we are of them. Which is all goo, except this bear doesn't seem the least bit nervous. He's giving me a look like I'm Goldilocks, ate his porridge, broke his chair, slept in his bed, and now it's payback time."- Widdershins

I have a good mind not to take Aloysius to Venice. I don't want him to meet a lot of horrid Italian bears and pick up bad habits.

敬鬼神而遠之
'while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them

I do not want anyone to get close to me, I do not want anyone to see me, and this is the way things have developed: no one gets close and no one sees me.

People who bore one another should meet seldom; people who interest one another, often.

Never sell the bear's skin before one has killed the beast.

If called by a panther, don't anther

Observe the behavior of the butterfly, and chase no one, for they will only elude you.

It's important not to stare, but don't you dare look away.

Be polite to all, but intimate with few.

Respect the gods and the devils but keep them at a distance

The most constructive way of resolving conflicts is to avoid them.

Sun Tzu said, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,

The wise man finds it better not to enter the encounter than to conquer.