Women Enjoying Beer

I Believe…

May 12, 2010

I believe that you can’t say thank you enough.

that it’s important to live with fortitude and gratitude.

that myopia is deadly.

that taking care of ourselves is the first step in taking care of everything else.

that curiosity leads to intelligence.

that awareness is a big part of progress.

that volunteering should be required.

that I am grateful every day for innumerable reasons.

that common sense isn’t terribly common.

I believe in self discipline, self respect and authority.

in punctuality, reading and growth.

that administrators of knowledge have a responsibility to share that knowledge.

that throwing a passion tantrum occasionally is highly effective.

that being loud doesn’t mean you’re right.

that we are life long learners.

in preparing for life, teaching to objectives, monitoring progress, adjusting to the situation, and moving forward.

that success begets success.

that good humor is a critical ingredient in life for us and those around us.

that we must in flexible.

that we must have standards.

that we should enjoy our vocations and have fun as often as we can.

that everyone deserves a second chance.

that on occasion we have to suck it up.

that no is the hardest word to accept.

that informed education is the only path to ensuring the perpetuity of democracy.

that integrity and ethics should guide us.

that being an adult means wanting critical feedback, thanking the source, and then acting on it.

that growth is sometimes uncomfortable.

I believe that affirmation and confirmation are important.

that talk isn’t cheap, it’s invaluable.

that it is not important to always ‘ be right’, it’s more important to do right.

that not crowing about our own achievements is not always becoming; it’s better to let others notice and crow for us.

that words and voices are powerful tools.

that being thoughtful tacks actual thought.

that passion can be constructive and destructive – use your passion responsibly.

that engaged and intelligent people make things happen.

that being humble is important.

that arrogance is never attractive or appropriate.

that replacing your’ ‘but’ with an ‘and’ makes all the difference.

that follow up and follow through are critical.

that connections to each other and the world around us matter.

I believe we live in a  truly remarkable country with boundless opportunity.

that being controversial is better than being neutered.

that we can disagree agreeably.

that nobody is useless.

in being a geek and not a snob.

that good teachers have good curriculum and an open mind.

that better is still better.

that smarter and simpler are better.

I believe that this is a short list of what I believe. And I believe I can make a difference.

What do you believe?

- with a grateful nod to Charles , Laurie Bernstein, and my Jackson County Master Recyclers class.