I Am Being The Change I Want To See

My phone rings. The Woman From California on the other end sounds tearful.

"I just received this letter from your office. It says that I need to fill out the form and send or fax it in to you. I'm a little confused and freaking out. What should I do?!"




...um... what?



So these are the words I tell her, verbatim:

"What you'll want to do is fill out the form in front of you. Then fax it to us. Or send it in the mail. Does that make sense?"

That made sense to her, and she hung up the phone, relieved.

I'm trying really hard not to be judgmental. It's super hard right now.
Jokes about public schooling, or the chemical compounds found in the California water supply, or images of non-branching family trees-- all of them race through my head.
And then I remember I must be the change I want to see in the world.
And I'm grateful that I didn't call this woman a stupid, ignorant mindless mistake made in the backseat of a Ford Pinto on a post-drunken Friday morning at 3AM following the last round from "Spurts" Western Bar and Grill's Thirsty Thursday/Wet T-Shirt and Roofie competition.
I'm really glad I took the high-road with this one.
Gandhi would be proud of me.


Incidentally, where else but here are you going to be able to find Gandhi and wet t-shirt competitions referenced at the same time?? You're welcome!