How Full Is Your Glass?

There's been much to obsess about lately: My efforts at perfection (incidentally, there was an EXCELLENT, timely article in last week's New York Times Magazine about that very topic. Too bad I obsessed about it for days and THEN read the article). Then there's this whole union business and how lousy teachers are perceived to be right now.

Not to mention Libya, which I really am trying to stay abreast of those changes, but it's tough! And poor Japan- melting down. Literally.

When I'm worried for the future (and middle schoolers sexting and how one day Margot will be in middle school...) I try to reassure myself that global changes start at home.

I, in no way, think for one second that global changes start with government or a decree or population or law. Think about it!

What if we teach our children to love, and tolerate, and recycle? And here's the great part: we can do it gently, everyday: by DOING! By demonstrating, modeling what it means to be a good citizen, a friend of the earth, and a nurturing family.

I look at innocent little Margot, and I think: There's hope. The world's got a chance!

I've thought this since we first moved to Germany. Bob was deployed a couple of times in those four years, and spent much more time in the field training. I couldn't do anything to control how much time he was away from our little flat, but I knew one thing: When he was home, he would be HOME, and loved, and safe.

And that, my friends, is where I really believe it starts.

So yeah, I'm optimistic that somehow it's going to be okay. -Even great.