I’ve been on the road the last several weeks. Thought it might be a good time to report back in. 

During a particular presentation I’ve given in the past I would tell my audience the only constant is “change.”  That is still true today. Having said that, my travels reminded me of a few other things that are constant, reliable, predictable, and for me – comforting.

The Rocky Mountains are just as majestic and awe inspiring in 2021 as they were three years ago when I last saw them. As a matter of fact, they are as breathtaking as they were more than 25 years ago when I first saw them. Their sheer size reminds me of how small I am on this planet. I never take their grandeur for granted and always feel a bit of sadness when they disappear in my rearview mirror.

Cornfields and bean fields in the Midwest continue to paint the landscape green every summer.  Despite the hardships farmers face – be it weather, pests or demand – their fields always produce in the summer months.  In my opinion, farmers are under appreciated.  They feed the country and the world year after year. Driving on county roads gives an appreciation of what a farmer does and the beauty of their work.  Seeing those same fields from the air gives an artistic perspective of the patchwork quilt they create and cultivate every year.

Mark Twain once said,

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

That quote reminded me of driving through the country on the 4^th of July looking for fireworks shows across the prairie horizon.  We were actually flabbergasted by the number of displays exploding across the sky.  As we admired the show above we were also treated to a spectacle of hundreds of fireflies across the fields.  It was as if they were letting us know a firework and a firefly can provide two different, yet enchanting displays, for our personal enjoyment.  Two more constants.

So what’s the point?

Mountains, prairies, fireworks and fireflies. Despite everything this country and the world has been going through these things persist.  Oh I’m sure you can think of many more examples.  Just wanted to share what touched my heart and head in my recent travels. 

It’s that predictable, consistent, comforting feeling we long for when the world seems to be going haywire.  We want to know the mountains are still standing majestically.  We feel comfort the prairies are consistently yielding crops and the fireflies still light up a summer night.

 The fireworks?  The fireworks remind me of the freedoms we have as Americans.  As they transform the sky they illustrate the beacon we must be for one another.   You cannot light a path for someone else without brightening your own way. 

As Americans, we should be reliable like the crops and the farmers who grow them.  We should be steadfast and strong like the mountains.  My friend Buck impressed upon me years ago to say what I mean, mean what I say and walk my talk at all times.    We should expect this of one another and especially of our leaders.  As I have said before we need to ask the hard questions, seek the truth and be courageous in the pursuit of it.

Until next time…

I had the good fortune to receive a text message this morning from my longest, dearest, and most faithful friend. Within the text message was a devotion from Pastor Paul Tripp. The timing of the text and devotion were not lost on me. I don’t think I’ve ever shared a devotion, but this one seems to capture the essence of our world. It also asks a very meaningful question. A question we would all be encouraged to ponder and pray about today.

“If you mourn the fallenness of your world rather than curse its difficulties, you know that grace has visited you. Life in this terribly broken world is hard. You are constantly dealing with the frustration of this world not operating the way God intended. You are always facing the unexpected. Almost daily you are required to deal with something you wouldn’t have chosen for your life, but it’s there because of the location where we live.

Life right here, right now is like living in a disheveled house that has begun to fall down on its own foundation. It is still a house, but it doesn’t function as it was meant to. The doors constantly get stuck shut. The plumbing only occasionally works properly. You are never sure what’s going to happen when you plug an appliance in, and it seems that the roof leaks even when it’s not raining. So it is with the world that you and I live in. It really is a broken-down house. Now, there are really only two responses we can have to the brokenness that complicates all of our lives: cursing or mourning.

Let’s be honest. Cursing is the more natural response. We curse the fact that we have to deal with flawed people. We curse the fact that we have to deal with things that don’t work right. We curse the fact that we have to deal with pollution and disease. We curse the fact that promises get broken, relationships shatter, and dreams die. We curse the realities of pain and suffering. We curse the fact that this broken-down world has been assigned to be the address where we live.

It all makes us irritated, impatient, bitter, angry, and discontent. Yes, it’s right not to like these things. It’s natural to find them frustrating, because as Paul says in Romans 8, the whole world groans as it waits for redemption. But cursing is the wrong response. We curse what we have to deal with because it makes our lives harder than we want them to be. Cursing is all about our comfort, our pleasure, our ease. Cursing is fundamentally self-centered.

Mourning is the much better response. Mourning embraces the tragedy of the fall. Mourning acknowledges that the world is not the way God meant it to be. Mourning cries out for God’s redeeming, restoring hand. Mourning acknowledges the suffering of others. Mourning is about something bigger than the fact that life is hard. Mourning grieves what sin has done to the cosmos and longs for the Redeemer to come and make his broken world new again. Mourning, then, is a response that is prompted by grace. This side of eternity in this broken world, cursing is the default language of the kingdom of self, but mourning is the default language of the kingdom of God.

Which language will you speak today?“

Pastor Tripp references Romans 8 in the devotion. I’d also recommend Romans 12. The chapter is only 21 verses. It provides Paul’s guidance on living with and relating to one another in this broken, imperfect world.

My hope for this country and this world springs eternal. The camellia bushes continue to bloom in the front yard and the dogwoods and azaleas are beginning to bud. All signs of renewal. Signs, to me, that this broken world can be a beautiful place.

We need one another. Mercy, grace, forgiveness, humility, empathy, compassion are all words to live by. They may be aspirational words, but I believe they are all words which will bring us all closer together. Learning to understand one another’s differences and accepting those differences is the first step.

Until next time…

W. Mitchell taught me a long time ago, “It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do about it.” You can lament about all that is wrong with your life or you can do something about it. The choice is up to you. Simple, yet quite challenging. If you don’t know about W. Mitchell, I’d recommend reading “The Man Who Would Not Be Defeated.”

There are literally hundreds of stories around the globe of people overcoming huge obstacles in their lives. These stories inspire and encourage me. On a smaller scale we all face daily hurdles. It may be something we said, things we believe or decisions we make. Our words or actions may get twisted or misinterpreted from our initial intent.

It seems to me, society the last forty years, has evolved to address hurdles. Not necessarily in a good way.

Janis Ian spoke of hurdles she faced as a teenager when she wrote and sang:

“To those of us who know the pain
Of valentines that never came
And those whose names were never called
When choosing sides for basketball
It was long ago and far away
The world was younger than today
And dreams were all they gave for free
To ugly duckling girls like me”

That ballad was 46 years ago. It garnered her two Grammys for song and album of the year. After her teen years, Janis overcame many hurdles in her life. She has survived spousal abuse. She epitomizes the W. Mitchell quote. Janis is happily married, continues to perform, and turned 70 recently.

I don’t blame Ralph Macchio or the movie the Karate Kid. Many attribute the movie for the movement to “Participation Trophies.” That movement was supposed to increase the self-esteem of inner city youth in California. There is no hard evidence that it increased self-esteem. I contend it caused additional parental pressure on children to participate in sports they may have had no desire to play. It did however, turn the trophy manufacturing business into a two billion dollar industry.

This leads to the question, who or what has caused this shift away from tough love and personal accountability to lowering or eliminating high and low hurdles?

A) Parents

B) Siblings

C) Teachers

D) Social Media Apps and Technology

E) All of the above

I’ll select “E.” Although I contend “D” is likely the most prominent culprit. An enormous amount of people rely on cell phones and social media apps for their identity and their existence. Some hide behind their usernames. They appear to avoid what is hard by communicating only through an app. Unfortunately, their best friend seems to be their cell phone.

Janis Ian was right, people do want to belong. Belong to some thing. A club, a clique, a team, a troop or any other organization you may know. Social is vitally important to human beings. Frankly, even more important to young people. This is one reason why “Zoom Education” has been detrimental to young people. And why it is critical to get kids back in school.

Social Media has accentuated the desire for people to celebrate themselves. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Weibo, Twitter, just to name a few. All these platforms allow individuals to feel good about themselves.

At least until “cancel culture” rears its ugly head. It’s at that point, the mob takes over. Seems like someone always is watching and waiting for any kind of a misstep. Intentional or unintentional error is irrelevant.

I see three choices to handling cancel culture.

1. Walk on eggshells
2. Stay quiet and be coddled
3. Stand up to the bullies.

I’ve always felt number three was the best way to handle bullies. Growing up, I was always on the smaller side. This forced me to learn how to deal with bullies. I wasn’t always successful, but I earned respect to go with a few bruises.

Dennis Prager has said, “People yearn to be taken care of.” As a matter of fact, if given a choice, they would rather be taken care of than to be free.

This is a scary commentary for our future.

Where do we go from here?

I believe the majority of people will do the right thing. I don’t buy into the ‘squeaky wheel’ syndrome. The ‘squeaky wheel’ is synonymous with social media to me. If they make enough noise we think it’s a real problem. The problem lies within listening to the squeak. Use your personal tribulum to separate the wheat from the chaff. Focus on the main thing. Build relationships with people who are different than you.

I will continue to seek and speak the truth. I will care enough about a situation or individual to confront injustice with forthright grace. I’ll honor the courage of my values and convictions. I’ll apply the “Golden Rule” daily. Personal accountability starts with me.

I have many more questions in my bucket. But Spring is around the corner and the ‘ugly duckling’ floating on the lake has become a swan. The dock is calling my name. I’ll go watch grace in action and pull some more questions out of my bucket another day.

Until next time…

As I wrote last month, I’m working diligently to seek the truth. I know it’s in the Bible, but where else might I find it? There are hundreds of sources at our fingertips. For example, platforms, websites, apps, programs, articles, columns, books, and so many authors and pundits spreading their views for all to absorb.

Who do you follow? What do you believe? Who do you trust?

I’ve been told my sources and resources are not necessarily the best. I’m not sure why. I suspect it’s because the sources I use aren’t being relied upon by anyone who might disagree with me.

The worst part of this debate is when two people disagree and I am one of those two, then I am wrong. Or even worse I am a liar. How can you be a liar for believing a source? I may be wrong, nevertheless, I’m not a liar. And I’m also not in a mental state where I need to be deprogrammed or reprogrammed.

The age old adage “There are two sides to every story” is the bottom line here. As Americans, we need to be able to have a discussion and share both sides of a discussion, debate, or disagreement.

I want to know how I am wrong and to understand why what I call facts are considered theory by those who disagree with me.

In a recent interview, Senator Rand Paul shared this when challenged on his views about the 2020 election:

“I won’t be cowed by liberals in the media who say there’s no evidence here and you’re a liar if you talk about election fraud,” he continued. “Let’s have an open debate this is a free country.”

As it relates to me, the words “liberals in the media” could be exchanged with the word “anyone.”

Reading and writing is something I enjoy doing. It involves researching the many sources I mentioned above. I want to know my sources are truthful, factual and reliable. Someone needs to prove to me that people like Thomas Sowell, John Solomon, Dinesh D’Souza and Mark Levin are not good sources of information. I believe they are.

I said I was going to seek the truth in 2021. It will be a challenge. Too many are trying to shutdown the other side of the story. Like Senator Paul said, “Let’s have an open debate this is a free country.”

We need to be civil, respectful and open to hearing one another’s views, regardless of the topic.

Until next time…

My dear friend and mentor Frank was laid to rest a year ago this past weekend. It’s been 12 months we’d all probably like to forget. Frank was born in Pennsylvania and for a time worked in Philadelphia. I can’t help but wonder what he would say about all that has transpired during the last several weeks in his beloved state.

I found this quote from Charles Colton which seems appropriate for our times.

“The greatest friend of truth is is time, her greatest enemy is prejudice and her constant companion is humility.”

I hold this quote as a beacon of hope to my future and the future of this country. Sometimes I feel like the beacon is very faint. But any pica of light provides hope. This quote motivates me to be a seeker of truth. A commodity which appears to be in rare existence. I frequently ask myself these type of questions

• What is the truth?

• “Who is telling the truth?”

• How does anyone know what to believe?

• If I don’t agree with you does that make me automatically wrong?

I’m to the point where I believe half of what I see, a quarter of what I read and even less of what I hear.

I never had to question what Frank told me. He always spoke the truth. Often times it was with a heaping spoonful of grace. Reflecting back on those bygone days lifts my spirits in some respects. Yes, there was a time when you could believe what someone said or wrote.

As I’ve shared before, Frank taught me there are no levels of integrity. You either have it or you don’t. If you lie in 1967 or 1987 but assure people in 2020 you are telling the truth how do they know you really are? Yes, people do change, criminals are rehabilitated and many individuals see the errors of their ways. But I believe, by-in-large, the stripes stay on the zebra.

What do you do…

• When facts don’t seem to matter.

• If you don’t trust sources of information.

• When information shared by the media, medical experts or representatives of the different branches of our government are proven false or misleading.

Where do you go from that point?

Speaking only for myself, I’ve always said “there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.” I plan to keep asking questions. I will continue to challenge information that comes to me. If I trust the information I will verify it. We’ve been fooled too frequently for too long.

Human beings are put into positions of power for their knowledge, communication and leadership skills. That doesn’t mean they deserve their status or leadership role. Rather it means they need to be held to the highest standard of integrity and truth.

We can be disappointed, demoralized or disgusted. Or we can be diligent, determined and driven to hold others to that high standard.

As a seeker of the truth and a citizen of this nation it is my duty to hold people with information, expertise and power accountable for their decisions and their remarks.

We all have that duty. It’s now more apparent than ever. I’m certain Frank would agree.

Until next time…

Have you ever had one of those days when nothing seemed to go right? Sure you have. Everyone has. You miss that all-important first stoplight on your way to work. This of course, makes you uptight and tense. You blame the car in front of you. They were reading their phone and the electronic sensor moved from green to yellow, stranding you behind them. When you get to the parking lot all the good spots are taken and you recall that first stoplight once again. The day proceeds in a negative way and you know why. Or at least you think you do.

Did you stop to think all the negative things you think are happening specifically to you are actually your fault? Or more likely, a figment of your imagination.

A few weeks ago I wrote how I felt like I was riding a rollercoaster. If you’ll recall the point of the blog was once you know you’re not in control things get a great deal easier.

That point has been driven home several time for me recently. I often lay in bed thinking of the things I want to do the next day. Not in anguish, but in anticipation. Regularly those plans are derailed by 9 a.m.

I don’t know if you’ve ever hit a curveball. Many major league players have had their careers abruptly halted because they couldn’t master the art of hitting the curve. It takes patience, understanding your opponent, and faith in your conviction. You must hang in the batter’s box knowing the ball is going to break across the plate at the last second.

Not approaching the curveball in the right way can make the batter look pretty silly. And so it is when things don’t go the way you planned.

I agree with W. Mitchell, “It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do about it.” It may be cliché, but it’s also true. You make your own future.

I reconnected with a wonderful person recently. It was good to hear how they were surviving the pandemic. We touched upon a variety of topics, including the future state of things. One of the pearls of the conversation was this quote. “Nothing is ever exactly as we imagine it will be.”

That quote is SO true and has stuck with me.

Whether it’s the car you just bought, the career you chose, the person you married or the day you planned for yourself; when events or situations don’t meet our own expectations we need to do a few things.

• Step back and display patience
• Have faith in our convictions
• Understand what changed and why
• Accept it
• Do something positive about it

Reconnecting with my quotable friend was a joy. It was also serendipity. Just like today, with the knock on the front door. It was the landscaper who had promised to level my driveway rock a year ago. Today was the day.

With patience, faith, and a positive outlook, serendipity can be a regular part of your life.

Until next time…

About ten years ago I was in Washington D.C. with colleagues at a policy symposium.  One of the guest speakers was Bob Woodward.  I distinctly remember Mr. Woodward asking our group the following question: “How many of you believe news media is classified as entertainment television?” One person raised their hand.  Me. 

Woodward was wide-eyed. He was expecting to move on to his next question which would emphasize his subject matter of “Investigative Journalism.”  It had been nearly 40 years since Watergate and he was still living off that event.  I’m still not sure how much investigation would have taken place if not for Mark Felt.  But that’s a topic for another time.

As I looked around the room, I could feel all eyes on me, including Bob Woodward.  “Is that what you really think?” He asked.

“Yes,” I replied.  “Television news is a cut above professional wrestling.”

I could tell he was surprised and frankly disappointed.  I also sensed my colleagues were somewhat embarrassed by my candor.

As I reflect on that evening, I smile now, feeling pure vindication. 

The news media has only grown worse in their bias and manipulation of information. It’s about clicks, likes, viewers and sponsor dollars.

I was recently asked who someone should listen to regarding the news.  My reply was I don’t trust anyone, but right now the most honest objective person seems to be Brett Baier. I understand the difference between editorial journalism and news reporting.  Baier and Lester Holt are newsmen.  Tucker Carlson and Rachel Maddow are editorial journalists.  They give you their opinion.  They are entertainment.

Brian Williams was a newsman, but he got caught lying, was terminated and then rehired as something else.  Not sure why anyone would listen to someone who is an admitted liar.  The lines are also blurred for people like Don Lemon who is supposed to be a newsman.

I understand everyone has baggage.  But with all the people chomping at the bit to be on television you would think networks would be more discretionary when employing people like Williams, Lemon, and Ed Henry. If you don’t have credibility and integrity how can anyone trust what you say?

Walter Cronkite was a registered Democrat. But his journalism and reporting was unbiased. He was a trusted source of the news. As a matter of fact, when he criticized Johnson’s handling of the Viet Nam War LBJ knew he was in trouble. By losing Cronkite he had lost a large percentage of the American electorate.

My son has a degree in journalism and considers himself a middle of the road moderate.  He isn’t affiliated with any political party.  He does exhaustive research on policy matters and tries to see all sides of an issue.  My question is, why don’t all news people handle things the same way?

Instead, they team up with politicians to dictate a narrative to serve their own needs, wants and desires. It is dangerous, divisive and detrimental to the future of our country.

I know this isn’t something new.  It’s been happening for years.  Modern technology, the internet and a variety of social media apps have exposed this partnership.  It’s a travesty and an affront to the public.  A huge concern of mine is the people who buy into what they hear and read. How many stop to ask questions or pushback on the information coming into their homes? Not too many, I’m afraid. What they hear or read becomes what they believe.

You don’t have to believe me or buy into what I am saying.  Do your own research. 

I’d strongly recommend reading “Unfreedom of the Press,” by Mark Levin.  It’s a first class analysis of the history of the press and the media and how it has devolved into what we are living with today. 

Keep your eyes and ears open to objective, unbiased, news.  It’s hard to find, but it is out there.

Until next time…

My dear friend just asked me why I hadn’t posted for a while. That prompted me to check. Sure enough two blog posts I wrote a few weeks ago were still in draft mode. Ironically, one was called “Am I losing my mind.” So the answer to that is probably “yes.” The second one was entitled “Metamorphosis.” Coincidentally, that is the stage I feel my life is in as I write.

I’ve always told people to appear like a swan gliding across the lake no matter what is going on in your life. Regardless of the stress, chaos or pressure, just glide. Below the waterline you may be paddling like crazy, but no one should know it. I firmly believe grace under fire reduces the pressure for everyone around you and every situation you encounter.

Advice that is all well and good, but what about when reality hits. The reality of things like these:

You work and your kids aren’t going to school. Who watches them? Do you leave your job to care for them? If you leave your job who pays for your health insurance and your home mortgage?

Your daughter is getting married. Do you delay the ceremony in order to invite more people when the bans are lifted? When will it be safe for Grandma and Grandpa to attend the ceremony?

You’ve lost a loved one and you can’t get closure because there is no visitation.

You work for or own a small business and due to a particular governor’s edict, the small business must shut down.

You’re a vendor for a professional sports franchise. And because no fans are allowed to the game you are out of work.

You’re providing home health care for an elderly person and you have no experience with any facet of that process.

How do you remain calm and carry on?

The simple answer is you practice what you preach. You take one process, one activity, one hurdle and one day at a time. You focus on the task at hand. Once that task is completed you tackle the next task or challenge. You treat every person you encounter with grace, dignity, professionalism and courtesy.

Remember not to let other people, talking heads on TV or Social Media to rent space inside your head. These people seem to enjoy filling our brains with divisive rhetoric and even fabrications of situations and events that tear us down, depress us and in some cases incite us.

Instead, control what you can control. Most importantly, you MUST realize there is a higher power in charge. If you think you are in charge, you’re not. Often times people don’t realize this until time has passed and they are able to look back and realize what happened and why it happened the way it did. It’s at that point the light bulb shines brightly and you realize through God’s grace all things are possible.

I’m speaking from personal experience. I’m living a couple of the scenarios I described above. They have brought me to the apex of the rollercoaster and made me feel like I could easily go over the edge. But I didn’t. I was able to pull myself out of the perceived crisis and face the future, no matter how uncertain it appeared to be.

I surrounded myself with positive thoughts and positive people. People who think I can and I will, not I might or maybe not. People who believe they are not in control, but they are certain who is.

I’m not out of the woods. The crisis will continue for me, for you and for America, but we must stay positive, have faith and treat one another as we would want to be treated. So simple I know, but also so challenging.

Until next time…

While trying to survive the pandemic, so many are missing so much. People aren’t getting to visit loved ones. Others are waiting anxiously at home while their relatives have surgery. Not being allowed to enter the hospital or surgery centers. Many are struggling with proper closure, when a funeral is limited to a certain number of participants.

Summer activities of all kinds have been cancelled. For the first time since 1897 Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming cancelled. I know for a fact that will cripple the economy of Cheyenne as the two week event brought in thousands of people and dollars every day.

What we are all going through in this country cannot be described by words. There really are no words strong enough to describe it. Colossal tragedy doesn’t even come close. I could spend hours sharing all the things we are missing, but what good would that do anybody? No sense wallowing in self-pity. With a hat-tip to John Waite, I thought I’d share a dozen things of what “I aint missin.”

• I don’t miss Major League Baseball
• I won’t miss watching the NBA
• I probably will never watch the NFL again. Granted there are a great many numbskulls in sports and entertainment, but is there a bigger idiot in all of sports than Roger Goodell?
• I don’t miss watching network television programming
• I ain’t missing Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. I’ve tried YouTube and I can live without that too.
• I don’t miss going to the movie theater. Over priced entertainment.
• I sure don’t miss watching T-ball. But I never did like T-ball. If your child can’t hit a ball tossed underhanded to her or him, than have them take up golf.
• I ain’t missing high-fives, handshakes, or hugs. I’ve always been a hat-tip kind of guy.
• I don’t miss the hassles of going through an airport and I certainly don’t miss airport television monitors.
• I ain’t missing standing in long lines of people nose to neck no matter where I may be.
• I don’t miss learning, deciphering, or memorizing acronyms. Just seems like so much BS to me.
• I certainly don’t miss dealing with people who “reply all” on a regular basis.
• I will never miss those who are too stupid to admit they don’t know what they are talking about. Seems to me we have more and more of those people all across America. I’ve always felt knowing what you don’t know and admitting it is the best first step to learning.

Okay, that’s a Baker’s Dozen, but I couldn’t help it. I could have shared two dozen without thinking too hard.

My good friend Rick agrees with me about network television. He took it a step further when he said, “Remember when we would listen to the nightly news? Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley and then Brokaw. Even though we knew they were Democrats we still listened, learned and trusted. Now I don’t care what they report. Presidential polling. Economic figures. Covid-19 Cases. Even what day of the week they say it is. NO CREDIBILITY!”

Rick’s comments ferry me back to bullet 13. The only way to gain credibility is to admit what you don’t know and find someone that is smarter than you are about a topic, task or theory – then learn from them.

Don’t pretend, don’t pontificate and don’t expect people to miss you and your knowledge. Only if you are honest, live with humility, strive to be a servant leader and put others wants and needs above yours will you truly be missed.

Until next time…

I was rummaging through my laptop bag the other day and found a little pull tab with a number 16. The tab had been laminated into a two by three card. For months I wondered where that little memento had disappeared. It brought back some memories and caused me to pause and reflect.

Sixteen by the Numbers

• Sixteen was the number on the back of my baseball uniform.

• Super Bowl winning quarterbacks Joe Montana, Ken Stabler and Len Dawson also wore 16.

• A few songs come to mind with the number 16. Sixteen Candles, Happy Birthday Sweet 16, You’re 16, Your Beautiful, and Your Mine.

• In numerology, 16 represents a person with introspection, intuitiveness, wisdom, independence and values family.

• A person born on the 16th is realistic, happy and talented in education, analytical thinking and the arts.

• The number 16 is also the symbol of determination and growth.

• I also read 16 is symbolic of love and loving.

Having shared those tidbits of trivia, so why does 16 put a twinkle in my eye? It makes me smile because I recall the day I used the pull tab machine and the number 16 was revealed.

The Story of 16

I was waiting at the local IRS office to hand over official tax papers from my late mother-in-law. It was my second trip to the office that day. I had to retrieve some necessary documents, so I raced home to get them and return before the office closed. The round-trip was completed with plenty of time to spare.

My jog from the parking lot to the front door made me slightly out of breath. I was pleased no one else was in the room and immediately made my way to the counter. The attendant behind the counter didn’t raise their head. I waited a few seconds then said, “I’m back!”

Yet still no acknowledgement from the IRS clerk. After a few more seconds the person looked up and said, “You need to take a number.” I looked around the room and reassured myself I was alone. Then I scanned the room for the “take a number” machine. I walked to it, pulled the tab and found my number. Sixteen. Then I waited.

Several minutes passed. Of course it seemed like hours. I was beginning to think the office would close before I was called to the clerk. To my good fortune my patience was rewarded when I heard “sixteen” bellowed from behind the manila Formica counter.

“That’s me!” I mockingly replied. No smile appeared on the face of the IRS employee. This actually lifted my spirits. It was now a challenge I wouldn’t let pass.

“Remember me? I’m the guy who was here about 20 minutes ago. You sent me back home to get additional documentation. I have it right here.”

Without a word, an outstretched hand came my way. I extended the papers and stepped back. After a few glances up, down and through the stack of tax forms the person looked up. “This is what I need.” Those were the only four words of feedback I received.

“Terrific! I replied. “It’s all yours. “Have a fantastic day!” Then I walked out the door.

This story is probably only funny to me, because I lived it. The reputation of the IRS has traditionally been poor. You may recall several years ago, it only got worse, with an employee by the name of Lois Lerner. On that particular afternoon, I was attempting to give this IRS employee a chance to change my notion toward the reputation of the IRS. They failed miserably. I imagine that person would never recall our encounter. Yet, I won’t soon forget it.

I continue to carry the 16 pull tab with me. It reminds me every moment you meet someone is important. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first time or the 99th time. It’s your opportunity to make that person feel good about you, the circumstance, or most importantly, you can make them feel good about themselves. It all depends on how you treat them. Seems so simple, doesn’t it?

Sixteen – it’s about loving your neighbor as yourself.

Until next time…