Letter to the President #557: 'And you can quote me! Pt. 5'

Tom Foreman | BIO
AC360° Correspondent

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/POLITICS/07/29/rangel.ethics/smlvid.charles.rangel.gi.jpg.jpg caption="The relentless drumbeat of tone deaf inaction and misadventure up on the Hill makes it hard to take them at face value whenever they profess shock over the behavior of one of their own" width=300 height=169]

Reporter's Note: I am writing this week about some of my favorite quotes and sayings. I don’t know if the president has enjoyed this, but then, I don’t know if he enjoys any of these letters, so as long as I’m having fun..

Dear Mr. President,

So NY Congressman Charlie Rangel has been charged by the Ethics Committee for a series of supposedly shady deals, and bringing “discredit” on the House of Representatives. I don’t mean to be snarky, but every time I hear something like that I have to giggle a little. Seriously, public approval of Congress is at what… 11 percent or something like that? I’m not sure they can be discredited at this point. “Why Mr. Smith, you’re bringing shame upon the whole cell block!”

It’s a shame really because (and I’m not kidding here) I know that plenty of good people all across this country have run for office over the years, and won, and taken their oaths with the full intent of making our nation a better place. They are unfairly tarred every time I, or anyone else in the nattering class, takes a swipe at politicians overall. On the other hand, the relentless drumbeat of tone deaf inaction and misadventure up on the Hill makes it hard to take them at face value whenever they profess shock over the behavior of one of their own.

Speaking of nattering, how did you enjoy your appearance on The View? I was rather surprised to hear it was the first time a sitting president has done a dayside TV show like that. Seems like ever since Bill Clinton played that saxophone on Arsenio Hall’s show, you political types have shown up everywhere with no hesitation. Bungee jumping? Tattoo conventions? Tequila shots? We’re there!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.

I’m rattling on, and I need to get to the quote of the day, since as you know I’ve been sharing some of my favorites this week. And this is one I like to pull out whenever someone complains about work.

That’s why they call it work; because sometimes it is hard and unpleasant. If it were always nice, they’d call it a birthday party.

I know it’s always in vogue to gripe about our jobs, but I believe in the restorative powers of work. I think work not only pays the bills, but gives our days a shape and gives many of our hours meaning. Don’t get me wrong. I love time off, being with my family, and simply enjoying a lazy afternoon at home. But if I were given so much money that I never had to work another day in my life, the only real change would be in what kind of work I chose to do. Sure, I’d probably take a couple of months off, but then I am almost certain I would shape for myself a schedule of work. Maybe it would be writing, or painting, or playing music, and I would no longer be doing it for the income; but I would rise everyday and settle into the work of whatever task I chose, because to be honest, while work can make me tired and irritable sometimes, most days it makes me feel good.

Learning to at least like (if not love) one’s work is a key to happiness in life. In this economy, we all have to spend too much time on the job to let it be drudgery.

I heard a preacher once say something like, “God created man in his own image, which means we were made to be creators ourselves.” That idea appeals to me, and I think it can resonate for a lot of people, whether or not they even believe in God. The notion that we are here to contribute, to build, to create, to help shoulder the load for the entire family of man is wonderfully uplifting; because work has to be done, someone has to do it, and the more we can see it as part of our fundamental purpose… not merely a burden… the better off we are.

And if nothing else, we’ll be working together.

Any big plans for the weekend? Elder daughter taking off for some events at Georgia Tech and the younger one has a French horn lesson, but other than that, it’s looking fairly quiet at our house. Want to come over? Give a call.

Regards,
Tom

Follow Tom on Twitter @tomforemancnn.

Find more of the Foreman Letters here.