I really asked the question, and I’ve no regrets. The next time you park on the street, and you overstay your time slot, you might receive a parking citation.(I feel like the City of Milwaukee gives them away like candy.)Now, what if the ticket read something like this?“Thank you for helping support Milwaukee’s 53206 community. The $25.00 from this ticket will help create the community’s first public library.“Or,“You’ve just made your commute along Vliet Street (between 12th and 35th) 10x better! Your $25.00 ticket enables the Public Works department to repave Vliet Street, reduce the traffic on the expressway, and plant a few trees!“Sometimes re-framing a problem is all that’s needed to translate pain into delight. I, for one, wouldn’t mind paying a $25.00 ticket if I knew exactly how it was to be spent. By contrast, if I was the type of person that did not want my money going to a specific cause, I may be more aware of where/how/when I parked. Many might argue that this approach is not scalable, doesn’t make sense, will never work… you name it! But, I say they’re right - it doesn’t make sense, it might not ever work, and it’s illogical - but, then again, nor are human emotions. If you want to come alive and help others, consider the things that don’t make sense.

Last modified on 2020-05-04