Spokane is a special place for me. I was born and raised in Spokane, only leaving to attend college and then again for a few years when I commuted to Spokane from a lake in North Idaho. Though my travels abroad are limited, I have had little desire to move elsewhere. At last count I have more than 300 relatives calling Spokane home, in addition to some wonderful friends, and an entire community filled with kind, caring people. It was here that I was able to realize my lifelong dream of serving in public office as County Commissioner. And today, having a job where I get to help make our downtown clean and safe and vibrant with culturally diverse activities that allow us to celebrate our heritage and our differences, and to help establish a new start-up economy as well as to assist large corporations and a vast array of eateries, wineries, breweries and boutique shops; well—it often doesn’t feel like work at all.

Like many, much of what I know I learned as a child. Growing up, we were not wealthy, and in fact at times I suspect we teetered on being poor, though my parents hid it well. Looking back, I feel so fortunate to have had such loving and hard-working parents who, by their actions, taught me the importance of hard work, honesty, empathy, and strong sense of appreciation for what we had.

What I know

Be kind. The world is a tough place. We think we have it tough but so many have it worse. I treat homeless people with the same respect I do a CEO. If I need a smile or a kind word to brighten my mood, I deliver one and I am rewarded ten-fold.

Be grateful. I try not to take things for granted. Exercising genuine grace and gratitude keeps me grounded and conveys my thanks way more than mere words, and it mentally prepares me for anything.

Lead by example. If I am going to ask someone to have a strong work ethic and to demonstrate their character by the actions they take when no one is watching, then I need to lead a life that demonstrates those traits every day.

Find your happy place. Life is stressful. In many ways things are more complex than ever before and information is flying at us 24 hours a day. I find my batteries are best recharged by fly fishing and camping on the shores of a lake or river, and our region has some of the most stunning outdoor settings on the planet.

Say you are sorry. No one is always right. No one is too good or in a position that does not call for humility. I know this is how I want to be treated so I muster the courage to set aside my pride and tell them when I have made a mistake. I also know the opposite is seen for what it is: callous arrogance.

Be forgiving. I assume everyone has similar good intentions, but if they do or say something that seems intentionally offensive I try my best not to harbor ill-will. Instead I wish them the very best. It’s a waste of energy and solves nothing to do otherwise.

Be humble. Though it’s often said and sometimes hard to do, I find that when I genuinely give credit to others when we realize success and I take the blame for mistakes when we fail, I gain their genuine appreciation and loyalty in return.

Compromise. They say politics is the art of compromise; well I think life is the art of compromise. We all have competing interests but are often reaching for the same thing. How can we get there faster together and yet not give up my core values by being flexible.

Listen. I have heard many endearing stories over the years from former defendants in my dad’s courtroom, who said he would listen intently and ask good questions before he would formulate a ruling. He was known for being fair and respectful, especially to the guilty. That’s how I want to live my life.

Follow your dreams. I will finish with the cliché, “If you do something you love you will never work a day in your life.” This is something my parents taught me early on. I feel so blessed to be able to serve others and to serve our community. I know that when I am helping others I am in my zone and it’s not a job, it’s a calling.

I love my hometown.