25 years ago I spent a week in a bush village in Togo, Africa. The closest drinking water was a mile walk away, mud huts with straw roofs with no electricity. Most people spent the majority of their day hand-farming the local field or walking to get water (huge jugs balanced on their heads – no hands!). The line between life and death was a daily struggle. I quickly noticed that instead of a victim mentality or a hostility about their difficult situation, they were the warmest, kindest, baseline joy-filled people I had ever met – All of them! Not just to me (the new white guy) but how they treated each other. Instead of fearing what hardships tomorrow would bring, they truly enjoyed each moment laughing, smiling, and celebrating their relationships with each other at every interaction. They were having the time of their lives, all the time!
My initial pity for them turned to the realization that they had the right perspective, and my culture/attitude was leading to unhappiness.
I’ve never been able to shake that experience, and I hope we can all see through the fog of materialism, and celebrate our old and new relationships, which produces a life with deep joy…Togo style!
Gratefully,
Spence
(September 2022)
One day back in 2022, Spencer said in a staff meeting, “I want to think of a way to make billing a little nicer for our clients. Nobody likes to open a bill, especially for architectural services.” And thus, Spencerisms were born. That’s an internal name we initially gave these short notes Spencer writes to our clients each month, if they receive a bill. The name stuck, only because we couldn’t think of anything else that fit. We hope you’ll enjoy these bits of encouragement (or simple thoughts) Spencer shares each month.