Memorial Day Weekend is a special time recognizing those who gave their all defending the freedoms of others. Their sacrifice is the ultimate service one can give--their very own life. The price of freedom is expensive and I humbly and gratefully thank these heroes as well as everyone associated with them--their fellow soldiers, their friends, and their family. 

Today's post is specifically dedicated to my father's Uncle--my Great Uncle George.

He was a part of the Normandy D-Day invasion of WWII.  In fact, he was in one of the early waves landing on the beachfront via a Higgins boat. He knew his odds of survival were slim. A good friend of his, also in an early wave, wrote his parents a letter just before the invasion expressing his love to them and his gratitude for their love.  He requested that they honor him with a sense of pride, as he most likely would not be returning from this engagement. As a parent myself, I could only imagine the emotions I would feel reading such a letter from my son. 

The morning came and my Great Uncle George found himself amongst a number of other brave soldiers packed in a Higgins boat. The boat landed and everyone attempted to get out without being shot. He made it. As he left the boat and fell into the water, he and everyone else attempted to get out without being shot or drowning from the weight of their gear. He made it out and onto the beach. Amidst the raining down of bullets, exploding mines and mortars, he ran up the beach. Amazingly, he made it across the beach to the hillside. However, it was here where he was hit by a mortar ripping off part of his leg and sending shrapnel throughout his body.  He spun around and fell on his back. With continuing bullets flying everyplace, explosions and general chaos in all directions, my Great Uncle George lay on the upper beach with blood pouring from his body. 

At that moment, he pulled out a picture of his family and held it on his chest with his bloody hands. He held it tightly till he passed out. We know this because when the medics came and got him the following morning, he still had it clutched to his chest. After all, wasn't it for his family that he was laying on that beach giving his life so others could freely live theirs?  

Well, when the medics did pick him up, it is recorded that they yelled, "This one's not cold! He's still alive!" Somehow, through it all, he had not bled to death. And, long story short, operation after operation, he lived!  He lived to the point that when I was a small boy he told me this story himself. He showed me his reconstructed leg that was now several inches shorter than the other. He showed me the remaining shrapnel that could still be seen just under his skin. He told me about lying on his back holding the picture of his family he was certain he'd never see again. He told me all about it. Then, he looked at me and told me how his good friend and many others never did make it off that beach. He told me how the only way to give their deaths significance is not to take our freedom for granted. "Do something great with your life!"  He told me.      

There is a saying that two of the most important days of your life include the day you were born and the day you discovered why. Below is a link to a survey that has 15 questions regarding living a life on-purpose. Please take a moment to take the survey.

The results will be used in an upcoming publication. Please answer the questions sincerely. Do not answer them based on what you think you should say or what you wish you could say. Rather, think about each question and answer as honestly as possible.

Soon, I will post an article including the results. Enjoy!

The article below would not be a complete read without also reviewing the comments people have posted. The perspectives and personal insights shared in the comments are extremely valuable. Thank you to those who contributed. Some people need medical help and other people do not. Everyone, however, needs love.  Treat people with dignity as you are reminded, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

I read an article stating that the USA could now be referred to as "Medicated America" because so many Americans (nearly 10%--two thirds being women) are taking antidepressant medication. In the poll I recently posted, “Which emotion do you experience most often?” the number one answer was: “Stress.” Yes, people are stressed out, tired, hopeless, full of worry, and, now more than ever, medicated.  Depressing, isn’t it?!  Oops…didn’t mean to say that.  J   Okay, let’s just say it isn’t uplifting! 

So, what’s happening?  First of all, antidepressant drugs are now plentiful and readily available.  Nearly half of those who take antidepressants have never actually received a psychiatric diagnosis or any mental health care beyond just the prescription of the drug. Many people simply feel stressed and are looking for something to help them.

Believe me...I understand facing difficult times in life and wishing to numb some pain. However, whether taking medication is the right thing or not for you to do (I’ll leave that between you and your doctor), I would like to encourage you to also take something else.  That something is a different perspective.  Rather than seeing your challenges and pain as something bad, see them as something to help mold you into something better.  There is a saying, “Don’t pray for an easier life.  Pray to be a bigger man/women.”  Sir Edmond Hillary, after summiting Mt. Everest said, “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” It may not be easy but it will be worth it. 

At some point, you must choose to win in life even when life seems to have the upper hand. Ironically, however, the first step in this victory is to understand that your battle really isn’t against life but rather with yourself.  You can’t change what happens to you but you can learn to change how you assign meaning and respond to it. “Extraordinary change always starts with the act of reframing,” teaches author/speaker Malcolm Gladwell. If you want to change your life, first change the way you see it. Don’t see yourself a victim of life. See yourself polished by life’s abrasiveness.  Then, choose to take positive action.

Consider applying the following three principles in your life:

1. You control the meaning that you assign to the events of your life. Assign it wisely.

Every adversity that you face can add to your bitterness towards others and life in general or it can be the experience that makes you better. Your challenges can help you relate to people. They can help soften you so that you may feel more for other people. Your challenges may, in fact, cause you to reach out closer to your creator seeking comfort and guidance.

Consequently, although your past choices may well be the cause for your challenges, the present meaning you may assign to them can be positive.  For example, the challenges have been necessary in order to help me connect with other people better.  They have softened me and made me more sensitive.  They have led me to a closer relationship with my creator.  That is, there are many good, positive answers to the question of what is the meaning or purpose of all of this?  Search for a positive meaning and be transformed. 

2. Attack or be attacked.  Choose to attack life rather than waiting for life to attack you.

One of my former coaches used to say, “Don’t wait for your competitor to do the attacking.  That leaves you racing their race. You choose when to attack and make it your own race.”  I have found that life is the same way. You won’t get far curled-up waiting for life’s next blow to you. Rather, get up, decide where you are going and get on it! 

If you don’t like the decisions you have made in the past…attack wisdom! 
If you don’t like the quality of people you associate with…attack the creation of new friends!
If you don’t like the state of your physical condition…attack good health!
If you don’t like your financial situation…attack creating a new income stream!
If you don’t like to worry…attack a higher level of faith!
If you don’t like your life…attack living on-purpose (ie, discover your purpose and calling and live it!)

3. Motion creates emotion. Choose to act the way you wish you felt…and you’ll feel it.

When I was a kid, I remember my sister had a poster hanging on her wall with a picture of a sleeping polar bear and a caption that read, “Act enthusiastic and you’ll be enthusiastic.”  I thought the irony of poster was kind of funny yet never realized how truly powerful the caption really was.  It didn’t say, “When you feel enthusiastic you will act enthusiastic.” It made a profound point that motion will create emotion. If you will act the way you wish you felt, you’ll feel it.  When you feel happy, your brain naturally triggers your eyes to look up and your face to smile.  However, if you start looking up and smiling, interestingly it will trigger your brain that you are starting to feel happy. Seems nuts?  Give it a try. 

Want to feel grateful?...start writing down what you are grateful for and really think on it. 
Want to feel happy?...serve others to help them be happy. 
Want to feel energized?...get into motion and go after something you value!

How about if you decide to take on life by taking on yourself?  We can continually look for ways to further escape life and its apparent challenges, or we can fully embrace it. Carefully assign meaning to the events in your life.  Choose to positively attack the areas in life you wish to improve rather than waiting for those areas of your life to attack you.  Finally, choose to get into motion--letting your motion create your emotion rather than waiting for the emotion to arrive first. Remember Helen Keller’s words, “Life is a daring bold adventure or it is nothing at all.”  Live bold and love life.