Saying "No"

I found this link on my cousin's Facebook page, and I really needed this read.  My classes have recently focused on being intentional with our words and actions, but what about taking that a step further... What about  intentional living?

One line in particular struck me:

Intentionality is not so much about saying “yes.” Instead, it’s understanding that saying yes to a commitment or relationship means you will have to say a whole lot of uncomfortable and difficult “no’s.”

This gives clarity to a lot of unanswered questions of my past, and it definitely makes me anxious to be ready to say "no" to all of my other commitments when the right time and person comes along.  For now, I'm praying for peace and readiness.

Really, America?

I wonder what it says about our country and specifically this generation when we are so devastated and shocked by the death of a former CEO of a company.  I get that Steve Jobs was an American icon - as a creator, an innovator, and a businessman, but the hype seems a little extreme.  Case in point: 32 out of the last 50 tweets in my Twitter feed are about Steve Jobs.

Would we react the same way to the death of a member of Congress - a person who is making far bigger decisions on our behalf of our country and has pull in aiding our current economic woes?  I would say that most of our generations doesn't even know about conversations and issues happening in our government right now, and that to me is a huge problem.

Or what about the many soldiers who die in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Surely their families mourn their deaths, but those deaths are on behalf of us.  The sacrifice our soldiers endure is for the protection of our country, and I wonder how many of us are really aware of the effect of their loss.

Honoring people who truly are shaping our world's advancement is important, but let's make a conscious effort to pay attention to other people who are making decisions that are moving our political and economic climate forward too.  Those people have a true impact on the world and its progress.