After tying her laces, Maggie grabbed the the counter’s edge and hoisted herself to stand. An extended fit of coughs left her pressing a thumb into her ribs in an attempt to relieve her back spasms. The Advil had yet to work its magic.

Walking predawn, Maggie’s poodle Jake must have sensed his owner’s discomfort because he walked like an angel—no pulling.

The envelope laid face down on the asphalt. Letting out a tiny gasp, Maggie bent to pick it up. The red, white, and blue stamp and handwritten lettering told Maggie the letter was more than marketing junk. She didn’t recognize the recipient’s name. Examining the address on the closest street mailbox and comparing it to the envelope, Maggie deduced that she’d need to move a few houses west to find the right box.

“That’s odd,” she said to Jake, “…this address does not seem to exist. How did this letter end up on the ground?”

Maggie considered dropping the envelope—pretending she hadn’t seen it. Nope! This letter might contain something important.

Next, she thought about stuffing the letter into a random mailbox. She already struggled to hold the leash and a full green poo bag while wiggling Jack’s reward treats from her jacket pockets. Nope! That wouldn’t be right—problem finders are problem solvers.

And so for the rest of the walk, Maggie carried the letter. She’ll drop it at the post office when she next goes into town…maybe for some chicken soup.

As we think, so will we be. As we are, so will we do. ~Lee Thayer

Do you watch your thoughts? Got any that need revision?

Once upon a time, I would have sprawled into a long explanation and apology for not keeping up with this daily newsletter. I’ve changed my thinking about that, recognizing such thoughts are more about me than you.

Hi! It’s good to be back. I’ll write again when I have something worth saying.

A thoughtful reader reached out to ask where I’ve gone….

It’s kind of bad form for the author of a daily newsletter to run off without explanation?

Yes…of course it is!

I’m not too busy, nor do I have a bone to bury.

Sorry…

I’m on pause—too much intake to produce meaningful output.

Considering next steps…

What do you think of this quote?

Different people have different duties assigned to them by Nature. Nature has given one the power or the desire to do this, the other that. Each bird must sing with its own throat. ~Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906)

That apple needs some serious love to make it into a dessert!

Today’s newsletter is brought to you by….

It’s hard to be grumpy when you feel valued, loved, and respected.

It’s hard to be grumpy when you feel valued, loved, and respected.

It’s hard to be grumpy when you feel valued, loved, and respected.

A while back, I wrote Pancakes, Bacon, Eggs, and Networking, a story about a group I participated in as the owner of xSeedingly Satisfying LLC. The story touches on the value of giving and receiving—reciprocity.

Last week, a generous reader shared a link to a Radiolab podcast called Tit for Tat—also referencing the idea that what you put out is often what comes back to you.

And last night, I read this in Business Secrets of The Trappist Monks by August Turak:

Whatever we want from others, we must have the courage to offer first.

So the first question I need to ask myself when I’m feeling down is…

What are you putting out Gail?
Are you giving value, love, and respect?
Show vulnerability, it opens the door for magical math—me + you = something new.

Dear reader,
What do you think of that?

:)

Her t-shirt said something like: Everyone Should Speak Dog

Sitting across from me on our brown shag that smells like dog I asked, “So, what’s your fee for services?”

“Oh—nothing,” she declined just as she did when I asked her fee for watering our plants in July. “I just like Henrietta.”

“No, no,” I pressed, “I still have the flyer you left in our front door. You’ll be feeding, playing, and walking. What’s your fee? We’re hiring Dog Paws.”

“Nothing! That was just something my friends and I did for fun,” she countered.

“Okay, I understand, but I’m going to choose a fee and leave it on the counter for you. Taking care of Henri is valuable to us.”

Henrietta must have had a splendid time with her dog sitter last night because she was pooped when we got home—could hardly get her outside to go potty. The reluctant entrepreneur from across the street has a Black Lab and nine month old English Mastiff. I had no qualms about entrusting Henri to the sixth grader’s care.

Jumping!
Hop! Hop!

Yesterday I started watching a Netflix documentary about Bill Gates brain.
Truly amazing.
He can read 150 pages in an hour and retain 90%?
A true partner with his wife Melinda.
Their foundation is solving human waste problems worldwide.
The worst day in his life was the day his mother died.

To my ears this sounds petty—I was not inspired after watching. At least I’m honest?
The series leaves me feeling small and insignificant.
Why am I not doing more to save the world?

Well, duh! I’m not Bill Gates.

I consider it a personal triumph that I recognize and am examining the feelings the series is pulling out of me.

Jumping!
Hop! Hop!

The girl across the street?
I’ve written about her family before. (Sorry, I can’t find the link!)
On the mornings her dad is home from his 12 hour shift at the power plant to take his kids to the bust stop…daughter, son and dad hug before the kids climb onto the yellow bus with green seats. When dad can’t be home, grandma comes to help the sixth grader motivate the second grader.
Daily, Henrietta and I watch mom leave around 6:30. She has a 40 minute drive to the classroom where she teaches kindergartners some of life’s most important lessons. Not the ABCs.

Why do I find their story more inspirational than that of Microsoft’s founder?

Which story speaks louder to you?