Sunday, November 1, 2015

ACCOMPLISHMENT

I saw a television commercial this afternoon that caught my attention. It showed a man walking across some boulders in a stream, something that I would venture a bet that at least 90% of us have done and survived it without drowning or breaking any bones. At the bottom of the TV screen were three words directed at the viewing audience:

DO NOT ATTEMPT.

In another commercial later on, there was a teenager jumping off a 10' rock ledge into a pond. Again:

DO NOT ATTEMPT.

Then but a few minutes later, there was a commercial with a man working on his car. You guessed it:

DO NOT ATTEMPT.

I've always believed that one of the things that makes America great is the fearless determination of its people. Only by saying "to hell with the risks involved" were the citizens of the U.S. able to create the country that we have become. To be sure, that attitude has gotten us in over our heads from time to time, but, overall, success speaks for itself.

Consider this:

May 14, 1804: Lewis and Clark depart Camp DuBois beginning their voyage to the Pacific Ocean.

DO NOT ATTEMPT?

June 6, 1944: 156,000 soldiers land at Normandy, France to liberate northwestern Europe from Nazi control.

DO NOT ATTEMPT?

May 5, 1961: Alan B. Shepard becomes the first American in space, completing a 15-minute sub-orbital flight aboard his space capsule, Freedom 7, powered by a Redstone rocket.

DO NOT ATTEMPT?

I'm inspired by our forefathers' dedication to accomplishment. "Think big" will be my credo from now on.

I'll start by sweeping out the garage.

Readers, enjoy your day.



No comments:

Post a Comment