The slogan of the church I attended in middle and high school was “Come as you are”, which was fitting for a nondenominational church in the hyper-liberal, irreligious enclave of Madison, Wisconsin.

I remember the senior pastor expounding on the slogan during one sermon. He added an addendum that I think transforms it into something even better:

Come as you are, but be ready to change.

Removed from a religious context, this sentiment embodies a yes-and approach to life that can translate to many other contexts:

• Read at whim, but also upstream.
• Own your abilities (no disclaimers), but keeping challenging them.
• “I dearly love this land / Because of, and in spite of, we the people.”

What’s yours?