Today, the tone should be, well, thankful - thankful for my friends and family, thankful for my health and safety, thankful for all the food I had yesterday, thankful that it’s finally getting cool outside, thankful that no one else in my family likes cranberries so I can eat as much as I want. There’s a lot to be thankful for, but I propose that these very things need cultivating year around, not just in an annual, pithy, self-righteous newsletter, blog post or letter once a year. So, today’s commentary is about hypocrisy - words versus actions.
For example, I got a blast-out letter in the mail Monday from a colleague reminding us that the most important things in life are not fame or fortune, but family and friends, and this is the time of year to be mindful of that. The letter was sent to his clients and others he’s ID’d as influencers. This is the same guy who cancelled dinner plans with my wife and me because he got a better offer. He, in fact, said that. His words were that family and friends are key. His actions suggest he’s sincere until there’s a better offer. His words were hollow. His behavior hit deep.
Additionally, daily, with claws sharpened and fangs looking for places to sink into flesh, some of our nation’s most hateful, divisive, and character-less politicians have suddenly adopted this holier-than-thou stance to wish everyone a peaceful Thanksgiving and holy wishes for a holiday season. For the entire year they have wanted their enemies to slowly burn at the stake in public view. Their default rhetoric is hate, however, this week, they take on this BS, pious façade, wishing happy and holy peace on friends and enemies alike. Their behaviors are their tell. Their words, scripted and empty.
On a personal note, I’m dealing with a manufacturing problem with a hunting rifle. Their social media presence – their words - suggests that they are hugely customer focused. However, getting them to respond to their manufacturing defect has been anything but customer centric. Emails, voicemails, social media connections - no help. Their actions thus far suggest that once you buy their product, you cease to exist.
Hypocrisy galls me. Am I guilty of it? Certainly. Have I said one thing and done the other? Many times. I’m no saint, but I’m aware of it, and I’m working on it. If I’m thankful for friends and family, do I cultivate those relationships throughout the year? If I’m thankful for my health, do I work to maintain it throughout the year? If I’m thankful for a country of freedoms, do I work to protect and serve them throughout the year? If I’m thankful for a successful company, do I value my customers throughout the year, or do I throw out a vapid social media post annually or a mass-produced letter near the holidays? Do I ignore my customers when they need me to fix a mistake? I hope not. I certainly hope not. Let’s work to live the words we say, and live our thanks every single day.
On that note, I’m thankful for all of you and this wonderful platform I have to try to Keep It Real.
