Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Leave It Better Than You Found It

Another mantra that I love is "Leave it better than you found it."  I think this is kind of a boy scout motto, as scout leaders through the years have tried to instill it into scouts when leaving their campsite. But it has so many other applications.  I try to think of it as I leave a room in my house, as I leave my car, as I leave a choir rehearsal that I'm conducting (did I leave a message that helps people be better than they were when they came?), as I leave a home where I visit taught (same application), as I leave a phone conversation or a personal conversation, as I teach a voice lesson, etc.  I think it's a great mantra for missionaries- to be determined to leave an area better than they found it.  It can be applied in so many ways.  So, there's another great mantra to consider:  Leave it better than you found it!

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3 comments:

Pam said...

Those words run through my mind during life's little times, too, like when I travel, wiping out the sink with a paper towel in the bathrooms in public places and on airplanes. Or picking up trash when you go for a walk or in other public places, or even removing floating debris from the swimming pool.
Thanks for the wise reminder.

Joan Morris said...

Perfect! Thanks for the reminder.

Pal & Hatty said...

I love it! Think how much better the world would be if everyone followed that mantra!