Hi John,

Have you ever blundered a gift idea, let down your loved ones, or tried the patience of strangers?

You’re not alone. Kerry Patterson has done all three—on the same day. It was Valentine’s Day, some forty-five years ago. Enjoy today’s story from the archives.

Don’t miss the upcoming webinar with authors Joseph Grenny and Tim Scudder. They will share insights about the relationship between social capital and organizational culture.

Also, check out the FREE Crucial Conversations® Miniseries with Emily Gregory.
Kerryin On: The Great Valentine’s Day Debacle
by Kerry Patterson

This year I’ve decided to give you (kind readers) a Valentine’s Day gift. I know it’s a few days late, but since my present is neither candy nor flowers (and won’t decay) I think the gift I have in mind will do just fine. I’m giving you a nonperishable story of a Valentine’s Day I experienced some thirty-five years ago. It’s a tale that I believe might help lift your spirits some day when you’ve done something—how does one put it?—not all that clever. Plus the story provides a nice reminder of the importance of keeping focused on what you really want.

It all started one Saturday evening when I suddenly realized that I only had an hour to buy my wife a Valentine’s Day gift.
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Love is wise, hatred is foolish. In this world which is getting more and more closely interconnected, we have to learn to tolerate each other. We have to learn to put up with the fact that some people say things that we don’t like. We can only live together in that way.
 
—Bertrand Russell