As someone with enthusiasm and heart but not a lot of extra time, I often find myself beating myself up for not doing even more. I am actively involved in several causes that mean a lot to me, but there are so many problems in the world and I want to help! Yet we have to be strategic about our gifts of time and resources, and we can and should selectively choose how we contribute, and not feel bad about it. Stuffing envelopes drive me crazy. But I do like to organize the occasional party, and if I can turn one into a fundraiser that the guests would enjoy, then I can make a difference while also being nourished in the giving of my gifts to the community. So while everything isn't always fun, we do need to be conscious of our choices.

Because we can't do it all, it might help to reframe by realizing how much we are already contributing to community in ways we hadn't thought of. I recently read some excerpts from Peter Block's book: Community: The Structure of Belonging. He states that "Community is built not by specialized expertise, or great leadership, or improved services; it is built by great citizens...A citizen is one who is willing to be accountable for and committed to the well-being of the whole.  That whole can be a city block, a community, a nation, the earth."

I love this quote in the context of my community engagement, because it leaves hope for each of us to do something-- whatever we do matters. And I realize it doesn't mean that I have to be on yet another board, or lobby Congress, or organize some big event in order to be really contributing to my community. For me the critical phrase is commitment to the well-being of the whole. If I am conscious of how my actions contribute to the greater whole, then I am already supporting community in ways I hadn't considered. This includes things like hosting a dinner party, raising good kids, buying local where I can, taking the time to fill out the school parent survey, composting, buying lemonade from a kid on the side of the road, saying hi to the grocery store cashier. All of these are important ways in which we engage our community and contribute it, and while it's not an excuse not to do other things, we might just feel a little better if we realize how much we're already doing.

I led a book study with some of my Vermont Leadership Institute group, and we discussed the new book by my brilliant colleague and friend, Howard Ross, of Cook Ross, Inc. in Washington, DC.   We found the book to be a refreshing, well-researched and thoughtful book on diversity issues today. What draws me most to the book is Howard's stand that diversity isn't about being politically correct with good guys and bad guys, but rather he focuses on the distinction of unconscious bias, which we all have, and links to the latest findings in brain science. Furthermore, he moves the organizational focus from diversity in numbers to cultural competency, which is the ability for organizations to function effectively in cross- cultural situations. The final part of the book outlines how to create cultures that work based on his lifetime of consulting in companies on diversity issues. This is an important book for anyone wanting to better prepare for our globalized twenty first century. I highly recommend it!