Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Bury the Hatchet


I had the opportunity to meet and listen to Allen Hunt this morning. Allen is the host of the Allen Hunt Show on WSB Radio in Atlanta, and is in syndication on 55 radio stations across the country.

He shared a story this morning that really spoke to me.

In Sussex County, Delaware, they will celebrate "Return Day" on Thursday, November 6. This is a 200-year tradition in which the winning and losing candidates from the election parade through the city streets, riding together in horse-drawn carriages and antique automobiles. The entire county is pretty much shut down!

After the parade, the citizens gather around the historic Sussex County Courthouse, and the Town Crier (how would you like that title?) reads the official returns from the courthouse balcony. After the returns have been read, Sussex County's party chairmen engage in a dramatic burial of the hatchet - quite literally - which ends the political season in Delaware.

If you don't believe me, read it here: http://www.returnday.org

We can all learn a valuable lesson from the humble folks of Sussex County, Delaware. What a great picture of what we all need to do - not only with the election, but with one another when we have differences. Bury the hatchet, and "ride together" and help create an air of unity rather than dissension.

Because even if you are certain you are "right," and things didn't go your way, you have a choice to make. You can be a sore loser and continue to alienate people, or you can get on board - even if it's someone else's carriage - and work together to create solutions.

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