Today is the day that we recognize and celebrate the sacrifices and remember the dedication and lives of American men and women who died during their service in the Armed Forces of the United States.  Each of these selfless individuals made the ultimate sacrifice giving their life in service to our country.

All Veterans signed a figurative “blank check” written without hesitation, equivocation or quibbling. The payee?

Payable to the United States of America,
for an Amount Up To and Including My Life.

     Each Veteran was prepared to give his/her life in service to our great nation.

The keyword is sacrifice.  In the Bible, the 6^th Chapter of the Book of Isaiah, you’ll find the familiar text of verse 8: “Whom Shall I send and who will go for us?  Then Said I, Here am I, send me.”

Veterans universally, throughout history, have believed and subscribed to that time-tested-verse, knowing that during their service in support of our country, if sacrifice were required, each was willing to make it.

Certainly, we, too, are acquainted with what we would characterize as sacrifice to varying degrees (ones that pale when compared to this ultimate one commemorated today). I believe that in business, a type of sacrifice is a universal element of success.  Long hard hours, ill-suited or degraded equipment, inferior facilities, lack of capital, and shortage of staff are all factors that one must deal with in business. And handling the situations, persevering and achieving goals in these circumstances require a small degree of sacrifice.  With  sacrifice comes satisfaction — from hard work, seeing one’s ideas come to fruition, making a product or service that is used, enjoyed, and employed by another.  These end results honor our commitment to being in business, even though sacrifice is required. At the end of the day, most business owners go home with a sense of satisfaction.

The contrasts are stark, I know. But with admiration and respect, humility and gratitude, I look to Veterans’ willingness to write that check.  Doing so, perhaps we can each acknowledge what is required of “payment in full” to whatever degree is demanded of us in our many endeavors. May what we consider our small daily sacrifices help us further honor the ultimate sacrifices that liberty and our way of life sometimes require.

As we pay tribute to our fallen Veterans, remember their incomparable example. Through them, we, too, are able to face our own daily challenges, do what has to be done, and succeed.

Have an enjoyable Memorial Day!