In the past couple of weeks, LinkedIn’s Editor at Large Chip Cutter introduced me to some great new ideas and showed me real kindness.

At the end of May, he published a great article about some innovative ways small communities are working to lure young people “home” to rural areas. It struck a nerve with me (and with a whole lot of other readers too). I wrote up my thoughts on the subject and tagged Chip when I posted it on LinkedIn. He responded with an appreciative comment that was awfully nice, and in doing so drove far more readers my way than I otherwise would have gotten.

But I almost missed out on all of this. You see, Chip, I’m embarrassed to admit this: I unfollowed you on LinkedIn a few months ago, because of politics.

There was a stretch where I felt like Chip’s feed became a steady stream of liberal-leaning links. I’m a staunch conservative, and I feel like I get lots and lots of liberalism on LinkedIn. (In hindsight, though, it may all just be a matter of perception. Do staunch liberals feel like they get lots and lots of conservativism on LinkedIn? Enquiring minds want to know!) Anyway, one day one of his links irked me and I hit the “Unfollow” button.

My conscience nagged me in the next few weeks – I recall a comment or two during that time from Jim Rossi, whose work I really admire, about what a great job Chip and all the rest of the LinkedIn editors do. (I’m pretty sure I followed Chip in the first place because of a recommendation from Jim.)

But it was a very timely article by Dr. Louis Profeta that showed me exactly where I went wrong.

Please do read the whole thing, but here’s the condensed version: Chip had contacted the good doctor to see if he’d write an article for LinkedIn, unaware he was by the hospital bed of his son, who was fighting leukemia. When Chip found out what was going on, he asked what he could do to help, and Dr. Profeta asked him to give blood for his boy.

Chip did.

That very day.

The very day I read the article, I re-followed Chip Cutter. (Actually, I did it the very moment I finished reading.)

So I got to enjoy his May article, and to post my own reply and get his kind response.

Thank goodness.

Look, politics is important.

But people are far, far more important.

We have too many folks who rant and rave and scream about their political opinions, as though that solves anything. We have too few folks who DO. Chip Cutter DID. He got right up off his duff and went and got stuck with needles for someone he didn’t even know, and became one of the people who saved that young stranger’s life.

That’s why I was off the rails; I didn’t know Chip, but I was willing to cast him aside just because of some articles he shared that I didn’t like. Not because of anything he DID. It was stuff that has little or nothing to do with what kind of man Chip is. Well, now I know he’s the kind of man who will rush out at the drop of a hat to give blood for a stranger.

I’m sorry, Chip.

A hearty thanks to Dr. Louis Profeta, Jim Rossi, and Chip Cutter for yet another vital lesson in what’s really important.

Oh, and please give blood.