We didn't have a mayor in Cope

So, I've been told many times in my life that I have an irreverence for authority, meaning that I do not fully appreciate the hierarchy of life that most other individuals seem to understand. I don't get any more nervous or star-struck around the president of a company than I do around the man who picks up the garbage from our offices every day (who, by the way, I miss dearly since moving to our new office space). I figure that without the guy to pick up the garbage, we've got 35,000 employees spending 5 minutes a day emptying their trash, costing us a lot of time - time that could be spent discovering new medicines that can save or improve lives. So, he's a pretty important guy, right?

I think I've finally figured out where this trait originated. I grew up in Cope, Indiana, population 28. We didn't have a mayor in Cope. We didn't have a town council. We didn't even have a neighborhood association. Goodness, I think we only had 3 stop signs. There really wasn't anyone of higher or lower stature. We were just us. I grew up knowing that I would be judged by my heart, my integrity, my loyalty, and my commitment - and I likewise learned to judge others in this way.

There are a lot of individuals in leadership positions who I respect dearly and from whom I have learned a great deal. It is an honor to know many of them. But if I think about it carefully, those are probably the same ones who would say hi to my friend who takes out the garbage and the same ones who appreciate that I grew up in a place without a mayor.