"No" Is a Gift
I recently told my daughter that "no" is a gift. If you doubt that, think about a world full of only astronauts, firemen, cowboys, and princesses, with no one to sell cars, or wash dishes, or collect refuse, and worst of all, no Dirty Jobs show. But it's hard for us to embrace the liberation "no" offers. In the words of U2's Vertig o, "Just give me what I want and nobody gets hurt." That pretty much sums up the spirit of our times, where altruism gives way to hedonism. But while shutting one door, "no" opens an myriad of others. Think about that the next time you hear this powerful little word—and smile at the possibilities.