Be Generous.
I told someone last week that when I die, I want people to owe me more than I owe. Basically, I want to be as generous as possible all my life so a) I can call on people for favors if necessary, and b) it’s the right way to live. Case in point - this morning I was stuck in my garage because my garage door was frozen shut. In trying to fix the situation, I completely broke the chain rail metal thingy. (… long deep sigh …) So of course, I called Mark*. Mark has been my go-to when I need help**. Mark has been extremely generous and patient with me over the years. I definitely owe him.
Our vision statement for Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics says that we want to be a benchmark for others to follow. And - with this in mind - we want to share our stories and path to success with others so they can be successful as well. I’m reminded of the story of the farmer and the award-winning seed. (This farmer had award-winning corn. When he was telling his story - he said that he shared his seeds with his neighbors. When asked why - he said because their corn pollinates his and if they grow bad corn, then he’ll have bad corn. Same with us - by helping our neighbors and friends be the best they can be - we’ll ensure that our lives are good as well.) The generosity we show in life comes back to us in multiple ways. Maybe it’s repaying favors, or maybe it’s helping to make healthcare better for all.
When I’m at the pearly gates (fingers crossed), I want St. Peter to look at me and say I was as generous as I possibly could be and a lot of people had better lives because of it.
*Mark Jenison
**Like when I thought a bird was in my fireplace behind the glass. It was a bat. Mark graciously and generously dealt with it because I don’t do bats.
