Lunch with a polititian

Finding a hidden gem is fun. My wife likes to find good deals on clothes and antique furniture. Then she likes for me to paint the furniture. HA!

Me? I like to find the best restaurant in every little town I visit.

A few weeks ago a colleague and I sat down for lunch, in a gem, that serves family style. That means you sit at a table with people you don't know and pass the butter around with a side of potatoes, corn, and fried chicken till your tummy is satisfied and your heart stops beating. 

I guess because we had on ties, they sat us next to a soon to be US congressman and very popular political figure (in Texas anyway). 

I'm pretty sure my eyes were the size of silver dollars as I felt a bit star struck.

At that moment in time I wished I cared more about politics. I wished I were more current on his ideas. And I really really wished I had his agenda for our lunch meeting sitting in front of me.

Everyone else at the table was there for a reason. A Mayor, a Director of the local Chamber, a school board member, his campaign manager, and they all knew the agenda. 

So I practiced what I preach... I LISTENED.

He started the meeting by asking how he could help make a difference in their community?

The school board member jumped in with a disturbing issue, feeding starving children at their elementary school. This is a small school and the number of hungry children they send groceries home with on a weekly basis was a staggering 90.  

Other topics were briefly brought up like welfare, the current presidential race, etc., but as more and more issues were brought up it occurred to me that I wasn't the only one listening, he was too. He didn't offer up solutions to try and fix these problems but instead just listened. 

After some time, and an extra helping of mashed potatoes, he did mention something that stuck with me. The actual words he used were "better leadership in our government".

He spoke about leadership coming together no matter what your beliefs and working together on the issues that face our nation. 

Leadership. 

I agree with him as I'm sure you do but it begs the question...

What can WE all do to make a difference in our communities?

The answer is pretty simple... be a LEADER. 

The cool thing about leadership is there is no rank, no hierarchy, no favoritism, and no politics (or at least there shouldn't be, HA!).

Leadership is:

• Asking people how can I help?
• Listening to their answer because you care.
• Taking action because you care.
• Showing relentless follow through. 
• Having a grateful heart for the outcome.

Leadership is:

• Looking beyond our differences to feed 90 hungry kids each week.
• Creating opportunity for the under privileged to succeed and not enabling the same problems to occur over and over.
• Being a role model for our children and challenge/teach them to be leaders.
• Acknowledging race, sex, religion, and political beliefs and use our moral compass do what is right regardless of our differences.

I'm saddened and disgusted by this presidential race. It's not fun anymore. 

But it is real and someone is going to win. 

Leadership is realizing the sun is going to come up tomorrow and those 90 kids still need food.

Leadership is seeking out children who need guidance and a good role model.

Leadership is falling fast and learning faster.

Leadership is boldly taking leaps of faith, and showing no fear. 

Thank you for reading. If this was encouraging, share it with a friend today.