My Daddy is a very wise man.  As we were walking thru the exhibits at the Missionary Convention a few days ago, he took the opportunity to ask me how I was doing with certain situations that he knows are going on in my life.  I told him that I just don't like the politics of life... I don't like the politics in business, in the government and most of all in the church.  (The latter is the one that really bugs me... and mostly what we were talking about.)  He told me that it is all just about perception, and how we view situations in life.  He said that politics is really just about bringing your opinion to the table.  Politics is listening to the opinion of others, and also bringing your opinion and point of view to the table for conversation as well.  You see, I've always looked at politics as simply sucking up to the "powers that be"... something I am NOT about to do, and cringe/laugh at when I see others trying so desperately to do it.  But as my oh-so-wise Daddy told me, if I just look at the politics of life as sucking up, of course I'm going to be put off.  Instead, I should view it more as a sharing of information on both sides... a growing experience.  Even more so, if I don't participate in the politics of a particular institution I am really just saying that I only care about my opinion and my own point of view.  When I engage in the 'political games' of a given institution, I am involving myself in the process, not just standing idly in the background, judging and disliking all that is going on.  Well put, daddy.  :-)  I always knew you knew it all.  :-)