Money Notes and Quotes

I've long-loved Gandhi's comment, "Be the change you want to see in the world." This morning, I felt judged by a staffing coordinator who asked me to cover a shift this weekend. My lack of booming health at the moment indicates that I first need to take care of myself. So, my self-assigned task for the day is to be compassionate with me because I am not being as productive as I would like. I am also self-assigning me to be compassionate with her; she, like all of us, is doing the best that she can.

I saw another indication of a compassion opportunity this morning as I watched the clips of President Obama and Jay Leno and heard people say that we've got too many serious problems facing us for him to be appearing on a comedy show. One of the things I find most attractive about Obama is his incredible ability to project enjoyment in whatever moment we see him. Isn't his boyish, enthusiastic grin an essential part of his charisma? Don't we want our President to be able to stand back from the seemingly overwhelming tasks he's facing and have/share a few laughs? Do we want him isolated and barricaded in the White House, forgetting that he's been elected to lead us?

I was also struck by Suze Orman's comments about how Obama shouldn't have spent the money to fly out to CA. Is that scarcity thinking? Do we want Obama isolated...?

What I know is that the staffing coordinator is doing the best she can in face of the challenges of her day. That Suze is doing the best she can. That Obama is doing the best he can. That I am doing the best I can with where I am right now. And that you, also, are doing the best you can. I also know that compassion is a rich and fertile soil for the seeds of positive growth and achievement and that judgment is hard, rocky, and stunts our growth.