Attitude Adjustment

I had a useful reminder of the value of perspective today. Sarah’s stepmother was driving us to the airport, and we were all talking about neighborhoods. In discussing Georgetown, I lamented the price – I wish more of our friends could afford to live here long-term – and said that was the primary problem with the neighborhood. I offhandedly mentioned the overbearing governmental intrusion into everyday affairs here (aside: the Old Georgetown Board is chartered by the US Congress, and is not accountable to any local authority or plebiscite, and Georgetown residents do not have representation in the US Congress).

Sarah’s stepmother is from Mexico, and she chastised me for not recognizing how good we have it here – while government bureaucrats can cause frustration, they are overwhelmingly not corrupt. She regaled us with stories of the inspectors in Mexico demanding bribes from her family’s businesses – the health department was more expensive than the police – and left me with a remarkable sense of gratitude that we do not live in a place which is bereft of the rule of law.