Saturday, April 5, 2008

Only three...

Here's an exercise. Let's say you've got children. Let's say further that you want to leave them something. Something that will guide them, make them think, provoke them a little, perhaps. Here's your final requirement, your final refinement -- your bequeathment must contain only three parts, no more, no less. Here's mine.

  • Humility...just enough to realize that "I might be wrong about this" is a pretty good organizing principle for your life.
  • Curiosity...sincerely question everything, with the intent to learn from the answers you get, but remember the first point in this short list.
  • Compassion...always, always, always be ready to say, and mean, "Let me help."