These are sayings, quotes, phrases, articles, books or some other form of communication that have meant much to me over the years.
Do something, even if it’s wrong. (my dad, Vic Draggoo)
Dad was not a fan of “paralysis by analysis.” Growing up, I wanted so badly to be perfect to avoid looking foolish, that I could get frozen over the choices and not make one. I learned from Dad that I could make a wrong choice and live to learn from it. Some embarrassment is not a big price to pay for a good lesson.
Live in each place as if it’s the last place you’ll ever live.
It would be easy for a military family to avoid all personal and community engagement on the premise that it’s bound to be short-lived. Our family plunged into local activities at the bases we were stationed, singing in the church choir, joining local clubs, etc.
Leave each place better than when you found it.
Of course this is a carryover from our camping trips where we were taught to clean up the camp before we left, and leave it better than when we found it. We picked up countless bottle caps left there by thoughtless campers. We extended the lesson to the communities we lived in, the best example being my impact on downtown Springfield, OR and the development of the Richard E. Wildish Theater.
It doesn’t matter who gets the credit as long as the job gets done.
I don’t remember where I picked this one up. But if you’re a smart manager, you’ll make sure your team gets more credit than you do.
What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other? (George Eliot)
I think this one is my general philosophy of life.
The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31, though most of the world’s religions have some version of the same concept.)
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten (George Fulghum)
I love this, though many think it’s pretty naive. I think those folks are wrong; this is the way to live, and doing these things – going back to George Eliot above – makes life less difficult for others.
1. Share everything.
2. Play fair.
3. Don’t hit people.
4. Put things back where you found them.
5. CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS.
6. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
7. Say you’re SORRY when you HURT somebody.
8. Wash your hands before you eat.
9. Flush.
10. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
11. Live a balanced life – learn some and drink some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.
12. Take a nap every afternoon.
13. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
14. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
15. Goldfish and hamster and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup – they all die. So do we.
16. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned – the biggest word of all – LOOK.”
Rotary Four-Way Test of the Things We Think, Say or Do
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
I held this standard for myself for years, and still do. It is a terrific template for ethical decision-making. I’d like to think my integrity is without question. And I hold this standard up as a measure of people I respect and admire — or not.
Your Family Name – by Nelle A. Williams
You got it from your father, it was all he had to give,
So it’s yours to use and cherish for as long as you may live.
If you lost the watch he gave you it can always be replaced;
But a black mark on your name can never be erased.
It was clean the day you took it and a worthy name to bear;
When he got it from his father there was no dishonor there.
So make sure you guard it wisely after all is said and done;
You’ll be glad the name is spotless when you give it to your son.
(Or daughter, as the case may be!)