Elections, Kindness, and Eating the Pizza

On compassion

“Why are humans so mean to one another?” asked bird.

“Because they’re hurting inside,” said fox, “and don’t know how to ask for a hug.”

…

Mobile: Orbit, designed for a gorgeous Charles DuBois home in Southern California.

…

I believe I was seven the first time I voted.

My candidate lost.

It was a close race between pizza and fried chicken.

But sadly, I was outvoted by a group of older kids on my soccer team.

I didn’t claim the election was rigged. Or that Scotty voted twice.

And nobody attacked my character for wanting something different.

At the team dinner, although I wanted KFC, I ate the pizza. And it was okay.

That’s just how it was. At least for kids on a soccer field. Voting with a show of hands.

Yes, the stakes were relatively low.

But we were also a team.

And we played well together.

And we wanted to continue playing well together.

Because that’s what teammates did; and that’s what our coach, Eileen, modeled and what she expected from each of us, on and off the field.

We were to celebrate each other strengths, support each other’s challenges, share in our victories and in our losses.

It didn’t matter whether you were the star or stumbled each time you hit the field, Coach Eileen let us know that our team was one founded on respect, encouragement, positivity, and kindness.

Anything less and you were running laps. Even at age seven.

Actions have consequences. And character matters.

I don’t recall a single thing Coach Eileen taught us about soccer. But I remember that.

And it feels important. Especially for all of us on the human team.

What’s one lesson from your childhood you’d want to remind politicians about today?