Always Be Kind & Generous to Others…and Yourself

Over the last 20 years, I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked by people who were neither kind nor generous why I didn’t “get a real job”. Or challenged by very well-credentialed experts who said “if I couldn’t do it, you certainly can’t”. Or, most often, “who do you think you are? why you?” It’s easy to get sucked into their story and question yourself, especially when we’re in a time in our society when money seems to be the only valued capital.

I needed this message from Neale Donald Walsch today as I sit here castigating myself for the time & money resources I’ve spent over the last 2 decades incubating & growing the deeply rooted ecosystem of opportunity that will truly create inclusive local wealth-building thriving communities for all, the value of which, only very recently — as in the last 3 weeks — is being recognized.

I wouldn’t be here without the ‘risky’ choices I made during those years, the most important of which was marrying Keith, whom I met at 9am on March 20 2006 at the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems to discuss a new kind of accessible building system.

Or opening Community Renaissance Market.

Or moving to Oklahoma to work with Choctaw Nation.

Or investing in my friends’ dreams, which have their own winding path to fruition.

I will continue to be kind & generous for reasons beyond money. I hope you will too.