January 19, 2010

Haiti is on our minds. It has moved us to tears and to compassion. It has reminded us of our tenuous hold on life and what passes for civilization. It has forced us to confront our priorities, our families our very existence. Haiti has made us question our connectedness to each other. Haiti's suffering compels us to respond with the generosity that makes us human. Give, give and give more. Haiti not only needs us; we need Haiti. Haiti is not your fault, or for that matter anyone's fault, least of all the Haitian people, like some ignorant antediluvian sociopaths (Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh) want us to believe. Haiti gives us an opportunity for redemption where there is no guilt. Haiti allows us to feel natural again. Haiti gives us something to contrast the unmitigated greed of Wall Street bankers to. Haiti reminds us that we have work to do now here as well as there.. This is 9/11 and Katrina all over again with a chance to get it right this time. So give, give and give more, and as you do you will find that you are also living more.

real pony." To which the man responds, "you did not ask for one". The incredulous look on the little girl's face at being scammed by the adult is priceless. Now you could argue that the recipient of the toy pony was not aware of all of the options. Economists and psychologists have long theorized on how seeing what others have impacts your own happiness. But the second lesson here is in the response of the man, "you did not ask for one". If there is anything I have learned in business (and life) it is that you have to ask for what you want, you just might get it.