Dear Condoleezza Rice,

I would like to cordially invite you to have lunch with me. My desire for this lunch date is so sincere that you may choose the day, time, and location that works best for you.

You and I share some very similar interests. We both love to sing and love our nation. We share the belief that good leaders listen, stand up for what needs to be done, and that sometimes simple solutions are all that is needed to make big changes.

Your mom was a teacher, and I am a mom and a teacher. So we both value education and moms.

You’ve written and published children’s books and having children’s books published from my pen is on my bucket list. (Maybe you could recommend a good literary agent.)

You are much better at golf than I, but maybe you could give me some pointers as we dine.

A love of laughter and sincerity are also things we have in common, and I know we could both use a sincere conversation and laugh right now. (People tell me I’m pretty funny, so I’ve got that to bring to the table.)

Your words on entitlement and bitterness are near and dear to my heart in parenting and in the methods I use with my school children (also known as my students). I am terrified of bringing up the next generation to believe they are unjustly entitled. The world has fed its children full of ideas that they are owed something and not responsible for anything. Those are scary sentiments that are going to leave us with some ugly leftovers.

Condolezza, I just want you to know that many admire you and benefit from your insights. I would love a chance to have lunch and collect more of your thoughts to share with my readers and children.

You were Secretary of State for goodness sake!

You’ve seen the world and been a leader for millions. You have a gift for putting that knowledge into words that make an impact. I want to share that with my Intentergy. Please know that I am just a simple, farming mom, who wants to raise caring citizens, and lead our community in ways that are positive and progressive. I would love to tap into your reservoir of knowledge and learn from one of the best. Condelezza Rice, will you have lunch with me?

Sincerely,
Melanie A. Peters
Intentergy’s Source

P.S. For anyone who has not heard or read Condolezza’s statements on entitlement and aggrievement, here are a few of my favorites. Write them down. Share them. Allow them to positively motivate your thoughts and view your role in our world.

“America has never had a narrative of grievance. We’ve never believed ‘I am doing poorly because you’re doing well,'” she said. “The moment we begin to believe that we are doing badly because someone else is doing well, that moment that aggrievement takes over, it’s not long before his twin brother comes behind, and that would be entitlement.”

“If you are taught bitterness and anger, then you will believe you are a victim. You will feel aggrieved and the twin brother of aggrievement is entitlement. So now you think you are owed something and you don’t have to work for it and now you’re on a really bad road to nowhere because there are people who will play to that sense of victimhood, aggrievement and entitlement, and you still won’t have a job.”

• Condolezza Rice (2012)