Friday, January 25, 2013

Better Than You Found It

I'm talking about oath taking in my advanced writing course. We're reading the Hippocratic Oath for health professionals and asking ourselves what a professional oath might look like in our diverse fields.

I remember my husband reciting for me the Boy Scout Oath and adding on that you always want to leave a place "better than you found it." For him, this isn't just about camp sites; it's for grocery stores, restaurants, and even gas stations. Although technically not a Scout law, from the time he was a young boy, he pledged to leave places--and now people--better than he found them.This might mean picking up garbage. This might mean encouraging an employee. This might mean helping someone with a task.

What if we all left places and people better than we found them? Every encounter becomes an opportunity to add beauty and order. We leave a blessing wherever we go.

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What can you leave better than you found it today?

1 comment:

Anne Wenger said...

I like that! I have to admit I have a junky table top that I need to leave better than I found it this morning. I started to clean it off, but stopped before finishing the job. Will return and do it now.