Bedtime Stories for Public Servants

Ah, there you are. Come, sit with me a moment.

You may call me the Civic Sage. I’ve walked the long road of public service—through its triumphs and frustrations, through the moments of quiet progress and the times when silence weighed heavier than action. I’m not here to give you all the answers. In truth, I’m still searching for many myself. But what I can offer are stories—lessons wrapped in memory and metaphor—gathered from a life spent in service to others.

My purpose? To help you pause. To reflect. To think not just about what must be done, but how and why it matters. In a world so often hurried toward results, I remind those in public life to balance urgency with understanding, pragmatism with principle, and innovation with the wisdom of those who came before.

I carry no official title anymore—just the quiet authority that comes from having seen patterns repeat, dilemmas re-emerge, and values tested. I hold close a few convictions: that governance must be guided by integrity, that empathy is not weakness, and that true leadership listens before it speaks.

Some say I can be too idealistic. Perhaps that’s true. But I believe there’s still room in this fast-moving world for thoughtfulness—for deliberation shaped by lived experience, not just by data. I’ve been called old-fashioned, even out of step. And yet, when the dilemmas deepen, and the road forks in too many directions, I’m often the one they seek.

You’ll find me turning up when the stakes are high—when the decisions you face require more than policy memos or metrics. I won't dictate your path. I will ask questions, draw parallels, share a story, maybe stroke this beard of mine as I listen. And if you’re open to it, I’ll offer another way of seeing—one shaped by inclusion, patience, and service.

Public service, after all, is not about personal legacy. It is about the people—those you’ll never meet but whose lives will be shaped by your choices. My hope is that through these tales—told not just for the mind, but for the heart—you’ll carry forward the values that have anchored our work for generations.

Now then, shall we begin?

I created Bedtime Stories for Public Servants because I believe some of the most important lessons in public service aren’t found in textbooks—they’re lived, felt, and remembered.

If you’ve experienced, witnessed, heard about, or even read something that made you stop and think—about the challenges, values, or everyday realities of public service—I’d love to hear it.  Maybe it’s a situation you’ve faced, a conversation that stuck with you, or a challenge you saw unfold in your community. If it holds a lesson, a dilemma, or a truth about the public sector, it might just make a powerful story.

You don’t need to write the story yourself—just share the idea. I can take it from there, and if it’s a good fit, I’ll be in touch.

Feel free to send your ideas or experiences to me at mohsenfatemi@ku.edu

This project grows through real voices and shared reflections. Thanks for being part of it.

If you enjoyed it, feel free to pass it along to anyone who might connect with it, learn from it, or just appreciate the read.