Spoke to the military a couple of weeks back. I was the keynote presenter at the Kentucky National Guard Airman/Solider of the Year award.
I was a member of the Kentucky Air National Guard way back when. In fact I was activated for 20 months of consecutive duty so I am classified as a veteran, but I don’t wear the uniform anymore. So it was eye opening to step back into the world of the military and share a message with the women and men who serve our country. Serve is the key word and they understand the meaning of the word. It’s about the basics.
Yes, the military follow procedures. They are committed to the process as well as the outcome but they also understand it’s all about the people. We sometime lose focus that the military is made up of people. People who leave their families because they are committed to a bigger family. People who grow lonely when they wake up in a place far away from the people they love. People who endure hardships to protect ideals and issues to which they are deeply committed. That’s the key word, COMMITTED. They choose to commit to a cause, issue, an ideal, and they stay with it. It takes on a sort of reverence. It’s more than words, it a way of life. They live out their commitment through their actions. It shows in the way they gather, the way they speak, the way they interact. It becomes their procedure.
I showed up to thank them for their commitment and to encourage them to be resilient. Sometimes it’s a challenge to stay committed to the important things …. God, Family, Self. I thought I was there to motivate them. But as often happens when we pay attention, we learn by listening. I was encouraged and empowered to stay resilient in the basics … commitment to God, Family, and Self. They didn’t say it, they showed it. The basics!