In the “NICK” of Time

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

I’m embarrassed. In fact, I’m ashamed to a certain extent. Ever have a bad day? I think we all have at one point or another. It’s inevitable.

As I look back over the past month, I can remember a number of various incidents that contributed to having a bad day or two. For instance:

Couldn’t hail a cab during a rainstorm in New York City.
Spilled sauce on a brand new dress shirt.
Got a large splinter lodged in my index finger.
Missed my connection in Atlanta and had to take a later flight.
Spilled a container of honey in my kayak.
Watched one of my favorite football teams lose in the last 30 seconds.

Get my drift? Life can sometimes be downright cruel!

I’m sure most of you have heard the saying: “Change Your Thinking – Change Your Life!” That’s so very true. Others call that “Re-framing.” Still works.

Let me share an example as proof of my declaration.

I thought that any one of those incidents I mentioned earlier constituted a bad day.

Then, I had occasion to see a short, touching video that changed my thinking altogether.

Can you imagine being the parent of a child who was born with no arms and no legs? What kind of future would you think that child would have? Seriously, pause and give that horrid thought some consideration. Disheartening, isn’t it?

Now consider something which may be even worse. Consider the possibility that this child was YOU! What kind of future could you foresee for yourself? Pretty dismal, wouldn’t you say?

Well, this child actually did exist. His name is Nick Vujicic, and today he’s 27 years old. He was born in Melbourne, Australia, with the rare Tetra-amelia disorder: limbless, missing both arms at shoulder level, and legless but with two small feet, one of which has just two toes.

Nick’s life was filled with difficulties and hardships. He learned to write using the two toes on his left “foot” and a special device that slid onto his big toe to grip.

This remarkable young man was determined to overcome his disability and make a difference in today’s chaotic world. He did just that! For instance:

He learned to use a computer and type using the “heel and toe” method.
He learned to throw tennis balls and plays football and golf!
He answers the phone, shaves and brushes his teeth.
He learned how to swim and surf (yes, surf!)

Nick graduated from college at the age of 21 with a double major in Accounting and Financial Planning. He began his travels as a motivational speaker, focusing on the topics that today’s teenagers face. He has spoken to more than two million people so far in churches, schools and corporate meetings in 20 countries on four continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America).

Today, Nick’s a preacher, a motivational speaker and the director of Life Without Limbs, an organization for the physically disabled. Who would have guessed 27 years ago that this beautiful limbless baby would one day be someone who would inspire and motivate people from all walks of life, touching lives all over the world?

I now look back on my list of burdens that could result in a “bad day,” and I hang my head in shame. I think about Nick, what’s he’s overcome, and what he’s accomplished against all odds and I start my day with renewed hope and faith that any one of us can accomplish just about anything we make up our mind to do.

Take a look at this short video and see Nick impacting young lives as no other could do. You’ll undoubtedly tear up but you’ll feel much better as a result. Have a good day!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Man’s Best Friend Continues Legacy

Posted on October 12, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

In high school, I was a reporter and photographer for our school newspaper and year book. I remember those days with such fondness because I so enjoyed what I was doing. In fact, I had every intention, at that time, of pursuing journalism as a career. Those were the days when a newspaper actually reported the news rather than manufacturing it. You never saw a newspaper that backed one political party over another. They served and defended the everyday citizen against large corporations and our own government.

Times have changed drastically and obviously not for the better. Today, newspapers have diminished in both size and stature. Many have merged, others have reduced their printing schedule from 7 days a week to just 2 or 3, almost all have reduced their page numbers, and many more have disappeared altogether.

The changes don’t stop there. Consider the quality of the news today. I understand the need to report what’s going on as we struggle through some of the greatest challenges this country has ever faced. However, I don’t understand why 9 out of 10 stories printed today must be negative. And don’t tell me that there is no good news to report. There are plenty of very positive things happening in this country today that deserve to be on the front page of every paper from coast to coast. I also don’t believe in the argument that people don’t want to read positive stories. Those making that claim work for newspapers.

I share these beliefs because I have again come across a heartwarming story that will put a smile on the faces of anyone yearning for good news. I recently heard, for the very first time, the phrase “Certified Therapy Dogs.” My first thought was something along the lines of a seeing eye dog, but I couldn’t have been farther off base.

In our country today there are more than 30,000 dogs that have become certified as therapy dogs. These wonderful animals help people recover from strokes, accidents, or domestic violence. Research shows that the comfort they provide patients helps heal them and improve their quality of life.

Click on this link to see a short video about a loving dog named Baxter, and you’ll see how these animals change lives in miraculous ways. They bring tremendous comfort and joy to autistic children, nursing facilities, hospitals, schools, special needs classrooms, and other facilities by invitation or prior approval.

I read about one of these wonderful animals in Parade Magazine. They told the story of a black lab named “Boo” who lives in New York with his owner. Apparently, a previously unresponsive 94-year-old woman at a care facility spoke her first words after visiting several times with the lab. Suddenly one day as “Boo” arrived for his regular visit, she calmly said, “Hello Boo.”

Isn’t it interesting that even “man’s best friend” can demonstrate leadership when the need arises?

Research shows that the comfort these animals provide patients helps heal them and improve their quality of life. This is the kind of story we need to see more of. It’s quite obvious that today’s media has no intention to return to the “good news” stories we need so badly in these trying times. The task now falls to us to carry the torch … to share this story and so many others like it with as many people as we possibly can in hopes of restoring the faith so many have lost. We can make a difference. I brought this particular story this far. Now it’s up to you to see that others have access to some much-needed “good news.” Let’s let Baxter and Boo know they have our support and appreciation by passing this video on to others. Thanks!

About Harry K. Jones

Patient Lion Roars with Pride

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

Wait! Don’t tune out. This article isn’t about dangerous animals, the City of Detroit, or a football team. As always, the focus is on leadership and the by-product is CLASS.

I’ve been a proud Detroit Lions football fan since I could waddle across my yard with a football under my arm. That was way back in the days that Bobby Layne led the team as quarterback as one of the last players to wear a helmet without a face guard. Today, the Lions are led by a 21-year-old young man, Matthew Stafford, with a $78 million contract, making him the highest-paid player in the team’s history.

Consider this:

The Lions have won just four NFL Championships in 79 years of play.
They have the second-longest NFL championship drought behind the Arizona Cardinals.
The Lions have yet to qualify for the Super Bowl.
The team has qualified for the playoffs only nine times in the more than 50 years and has won only one playoff game in that span.
The Lions hold the second longest regular season losing streak in NFL history, losing 19 straight games going all the way back to 2007.
The 2008 Detroit Lions became the only team in NFL history to lose all 16 regular-season games.
They have a rookie quarterback in Stafford and a new coach in Jim Swartz.
They proudly boast one of the most beautiful stadiums in the nation in Ford Field. I’ve had the privilege to speak there and a tour of this facility will leave you breathless.
Record-wise, the Lions have been losers for decades.

I, like so many others, have been a Lions fan through all of this tragedy.

So why my reference to CLASS? You’d better sit down. The Lions have broken that remarkable losing streak the last weekend in September by defeating the Washington Redskins 19-14.

Needless to say, the players and the fans reacted as though they had just won the Super Bowl! You couldn’t hear anything for what seemed forever. They danced, they hugged, they laughed, they screamed and sang as they relished the joy of victory!

Now the CLASS appears. The team finally made their way into the locker room. They quickly quieted down, and as a team they dropped to one knee and shared a prayer of thanks. They then decided as a team to return to the field to celebrate this unbelievable milestone. They talked, shook hands, and hugged thousands of fans who had gathered on the field. Later, they said they simply wanted to thank the most patient fans in the game of football for their loyalty and support since 2007. Will they win their next game? Will they have a winning season? Who knows? In fact, who cares? On this day, they conquered the world and nothing was more important to the Lions or their fans.

Frosting on this scrumptious cake? You bet! As thousands of proud fans finally filed out of that beautiful, state-of-the-art football stadium, you could hear a low, thunderous, but growing, two-word chant … SUPER BOWL! SUPER BOWL! SUPER BOWL! Those are true fans supporting a CLASSY football team! Losers on the field for now but winners in our hearts forever!

By the way, the Lions one-game winning streak ended the following Sunday in Chicago by a score of 48-24 … but we’ll be back!

About Harry K. Jones

The Nation’s Future Is in Good Hands

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

The Jerry Lewis Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Telethon has been on the air for 44 years. I vividly remember watching it with my parents decades ago as it was somewhat of a family tradition. Years later, I remember continuing this emotional tradition with my own children. One year I even had the privilege of hosting several television remote segments of the telethon from a 24-hour marathon at our local Marriott hotel.

This year I had occasion to watch a great deal of the telethon as I worked on a project in my home office. As always, there was an abundance of talent offering a variety of entertainment in an effort to raise funds for “Jerry’s Kids.”

Due to my focus on the computer, most of the telethon was little more than background noise which served to keep me awake as the hours began to mount. Suddenly, a sound emerged from my TV which simply couldn’t be ignored. I quickly glanced at the screen to see four young girls singing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” I was instantly mesmerized by their performance. Obviously, the live audience in Las Vegas felt the same way as they gave this group a standing ovation for several minutes.

The name of the group was The Cactus Cuties, and they certainly were! The four young ladies hail from Lubbock, Texas, where they got their start at the Cactus Theater. A large number of young talented kids have been performing there since 1994. The original Cactus Cuties came together in 2001 and consisted of seven talented youngsters between the ages of four and seven. None of the four existing “Cuties” on this year’s telethon was in that original group.

Today, even at this young age, these “Cuties” generate a beautiful harmony and charismatic presence that have led them to evolve into seasoned veterans. Many of their songs can be seen on YouTube and their arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” garnered five million hits in only three months, touching hearts all over the world. In addition to the telethon, they have been featured on The 700 Club, numerous NBA, MLB, and NFL games, and many high-profile military events. In December of 2008, they received an invitation from The White House to appear before President and Mrs. Bush.

At one time, there were as many as 19 Cactus Cuties, but through the years for various reasons, the group has evolved and been molded into the existing four members, Baylee Barrett (age 14), Andi Kitten (age 12), Blaire Elbert (age 12), and Madeline Powell (age 9). These four girls have been members of the Cactus Cuties for just shy of six years.

In a society which forbids our children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school, these youngsters are instilling a pride and feeling of patriotism in the hearts of millions of Americans … something which has been so obviously lacking in our current chaotic environment.

I watch their performance and feel secure that our future is in good hands. At the same time, I feel enormous guilt at the burden placed on their generation by the greed and stupidity of ours. Watch this short video of an earlier performance when there were five members, and if you don’t experience a lump in your throat, a tear in your eye, or a flutter in your heart—seek help immediately!

About Harry K. Jones

The Time Has Come! Reach Your Potential!

Posted on September 18, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

I can’t think of a more critical time in the history of this country that would require a serious evaluation of human potential. The crisis and chaos we’re facing today can only be met and managed if each and every one of us will strive to reach the potential we’ve been blessed with.

There are a number of reasons that may cause us to fall short of our dreams, ambitions, and full potential:

Education
Experience
Fear
Low Self-Esteem
Lack of Confidence
Lack of Opportunity
Attitude

The promising aspect of each of the barriers listed above, as well as any others you can conceive, is that each can be overcome with the proper resources, determination, and strategy. We also boast more resources today than ever before. It simply requires a focused search, proper utilization, and painstaking execution.

One of the most powerful resources available to us today is simply another person or persons. It may be a family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker, teacher/professor, religious leader, coach or mentor. Lessons can be learned from a variety of sources so never underestimate the potential of those in your life at the moment.

As we look back over our lives, I’m sure we can all recognize those who may have provided a turning point for us at one time or another. In this short video, watch how a high school football coach enlightens one of his players to his true potential by blindfolding him! Notice how fellow teammates and even other members of the coaching staff learn from this unique exercise!

Enjoy, contemplate, and please pass it on to others! Now go reach your full potential!

About Harry K. Jones

A Gentle Giant Soothes the World

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

At what age does one learn the universal truth that we should never assume anything in this life? I’m certain it comes at different times for different people, and there’s a good chance that some never learn this critical lesson at all. However, the earlier we comprehend this reality, the better it will serve us.

During my years as a deejay, I was fortunate to be exposed to a wide variety of artists and just about every genre of music available at the time. Over the years, we’ve seen and heard a multitude of talented entertainers who rightfully gained worldwide notoriety, fame and fortune.

However, let me tell you about a true artist who left us before he reached his full potential. He gained a worldwide following of loyal fans who included such notables as Jimmy Buffet, Paul Simon and Bette Midler.

Try to pronounce his name or glance at his picture, and you’ll know just a few of the many barriers he overcame to gain global fame in the short time he was with us. Let me share a few interesting facts about this gentle giant and you’ll soon realize you may have made a few false assumptions as you saw his picture for the first time.

His name is Israel Ka’ano’i Kamakawiwo’ole.
His friends, family and fans called him “IZ.”
IZ was born and raised in Hawaii and seldom left the islands.
He stood 6 ft., 2 in. and weighed 770 lbs.!
He was a consummate ukulele player, songwriter and singer.
He was known as the “Bob Marley of Hawaii.”
He had a very gentle, passionate voice, which could float through higher registers with an ease that reminded many of Johnny Mathis.

It’s said that IZ one day called his producer and said that there was a song he felt he had to record. He showed up at the studio at midnight with his trusty ukulele and, in a mere five minutes, created his renowned version of “Over The Rainbow/Wonderful World.” This haunting medley was later played over the closing credits of the film Meet Joe Black starring Brad Pitt and other movie soundtracks including Finding Forrester starring Sean Connery and 50 First Dates. That same rendition also received airplay on the TV shows ER, Cold Case, Jon & Kate Plus 8, Life on Mars, and Scrubs.

You may have seen an etoys commercial that ran on network television for quite some time. It began with a young boy chasing fireflies and ended with his wise and loving father ordering a firefly “kit” from etoys. It was a cute ad, but what made it so successful and believable was the soothing sound of IZ playing his 4-string ukulele in the background. That simple melody being hummed (no words) created mental snapshots of home, love, country, and security … images of a world in which everything was as it should be! In fact, that’s exactly what you’ll experience when you hear the texture of his voice, his songs, and the sound of his resonant ukulele.

In 1990, Iz released his first solo album which won awards for Contemporary Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts (HARA). Three years later, Facing Future was released featuring his most popular song, the medley “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World.” It debuted at #25 on Billboard Magazine’s Top Pop Catalogue chart and became Hawaii’s first certified platinum album, selling more than a million CDs in the United States. In 1994, IZ was voted favorite entertainer of the year by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts (HARA).

IZ endured several hospitalizations and finally died of weight-related respiratory illness in June of 1997 at the young age of 38. It has been suggested that a genetic disorder was responsible for his obese condition.

The Hawaii state flag flew at half-mast on the day of Iz’s funeral. His koa wood coffin lay in state at the Capitol building in Honolulu as more than 10,000 fans came to say goodbye. He was only the third person in Hawaiian history to be accorded this honor and the only non-politician.

Thousands of fans gathered at Makua Beach on the Pacific Ocean where IZ and his friends had camped out and played over the years. His friends paddled a double-hulled voyaging canoe into Makua Bay and thousands cheered as his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean. It continued for an hour. To be with IZ one last time, family members and friends ran into the ocean. And the music continued into the night. It still does.

Check out his rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” in this video.

Do a favor for yourself and a friend by passing this link on to friends and family. IZ the man may be gone, but his music has made him immortal. May he live on and bring some culture and peace to mainstream music.

About Harry K. Jones

Think Times Are Tough?

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

You know we’re all dealing with multiple challenges at the moment. Some are difficult and others may even seem insurmountable. How you perceive these challenges could very well determine if you will, in fact, survive them. Your perception can be changed but only by your choosing to change your thinking.

I heard the following short story on the radio over the weekend. It’s a perfect example of how, with very little effort and the right information, you can look at things differently. Read it yourself. Think about it. Be grateful.

A Small Request

I was taking my usual morning walk when a garbage truck pulled up beside me. I thought the driver was going to ask for directions. Instead, he showed me a picture of a cute little five-year-old boy.

“This is my grandson, Jeremiah,” he said. “He’s on a life-support system at a Phoenix hospital.”

Thinking he would next ask for a contribution to his hospital bills, I reached for my wallet. But he wanted something more than money. He said, “I’m asking everybody I can to say a prayer for him. Would you say one for him, please?” I did. And my problems didn’t seem like much that day.

About Harry K. Jones

A True Communication Challenge

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to work with a wide variety of cultures in most every industry. Some were much better at communicating than others. And yet, should you ask any employee from any of those organizations what they would improve if given the opportunity, they would most assuredly say: “Improve communication.” Even though communication levels may be better than most, employees almost always feel it could be much better.

That challenge seems to be growing as we find ourselves currently working with four different generations in today’s workplace. Seldom do we recognize this unique circumstance and therefore, as a result, we neglect to deal with it.

They say “practice makes perfect.” Here’s an interesting exercise that will demonstrate exactly how difficult it is to communicate across generations. While you may find yourself smiling, and even laughing aloud, during this exercise, you’ll also experience a certain level of frustration and maybe the realization that we need much more practice when it comes to this critical skill.

Mature (GI + Silent) (1909-1945, 64+)
Baby Boomers (1946-1964, 45 to 63)
Generation X (1965-1982, 27 to 44)
Generation Y (1982-2000, 9 to 27)

This exercise works best when pairing a Mature or Baby Boomer with a member of Generation X or Generation Y. The instructions are elementary. The Mature or Baby Boomer simply explains each of the following products, technologies, toys, etc. The Generation X or Generation Y member merely listens and asks questions if necessary.

You might be surprised how the conversation unfolds. Upon completion, you’ll clearly understand why we struggle to communicate well in the workplace and that we do indeed need more practice.

Explain the following:

Explain laundry detergent containing free glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box.
Explain how it took five minutes for the TV warm up.
Explain how no one ever asked where the car keys were because they were always in the car, in the ignition, and the doors were never locked.
Explain the pains of telephone party lines.
Explain how placing baseball cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle.
Explain how the worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was “cooties.”
Explain how decisions were made by going “eeny-meeny-miney-moe.”
Explain that nearly everyone’s mom was at home when the kids got home from school and what a difference it made.
Explain the Fuller Brush Man.

Describe the following:

Describe how all your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done every day and wore high heels.
Describe the ugly gym uniforms the girls had to wear.
Describe candy cigarettes.
Describe the newsreels and cartoons before every movie.
Describe the joys of a pea-shooter.
Describe what Blackjack, Clove and Teaberry chewing gum tasted like.

Knowing the difficulty of that task, you can better understand why workplace communication can be such a challenge!

About Harry K. Jones

You Will Survive

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

Years ago, during my days as a DeeJay, one of my favorite songs was “I Will Survive,” first performed by Gloria Gaynor in 1978. It was often used as an anthem of female empowerment and was a firm favorite on the karaoke circuit. It is one of the most famous disco songs of all time reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving the Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980.

While not necessarily a disco buff myself, I must admit this particular song never failed to inspire me and inevitably encouraged me to look on the brighter side of any circumstance. This past weekend, I heard this classic once again on our local “oldies” station. It not only rekindled fond memories but forced me to think about the many pressures we’re asked to endure today.

Life is full of stress. Financial forecasters seem to take great joy in spreading a barrage of negative news ranging from the drop of the Dow to the rise of unemployment. Add greedy CEOs and crooked politicians. Include another investment scam or a bankrupt lender. Announce dozens of retail closings and the fall of the Big Three. What does all this fear and panic do? It causes more fear and panic which is bad for your heart, mind and spirit.

However, this happens only if we allow it. We sometimes need to be reminded of how resilient we are … how much we’ve endured and the obstacles we’ve overcome in the past. It’s easy to forget that we’ve lived through many recessions in the recent past—1980, 1990, 2001. Even during the Great Depression when the unemployment rate was at 25%, 75% percent of the people in the United States were still employed. Do you see a pattern here? Recessions come and go. Tough times don’t last but tough people do.

In fact, when I look back at my childhood, I can’t believe I’m here today! Conventional wisdom says I never should have survived. Here are just a few of the reasons why:

When I was young, we had no childproof lids on our medicine bottles.

When I rode my bike, I never wore a helmet. We had no helmets.

We played with toy guns—cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers, and war. We used our fingers to simulate guns when the toys ones weren’t available.

Some students weren’t as smart as others or didn’t work as hard so they failed a grade and were actually held back to repeat the same grade.

I can remember saying prayers and the Pledge of Allegiance in school and neither damaged my psyche.

If I remember correctly, and I do, schools didn’t offer 14 year old students an abortion or condoms, and we wouldn’t have known what either was anyway. However, they did give us a couple of aspirin and cough syrup when we had the sniffles. We even had a school nurse … what an archaic school system.

I can’t recall how bored we were without computers, PlayStation, Nintendo, X-box, Wii or 270 digital cable stations. I do remember how we trekked off every day about a mile down the road to a vacant lot, built forts out of branches and pieces of plywood, made trails, and fought over who got to be the Lone Ranger. That kept us busy.

My mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter, and I used to eat it raw sometimes too, but I can’t remember getting E-coli.

She also used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but none of us ever got food poisoning.

Believe it or not, my dad drove a car with leaded gas and we all lived.

We often got hurt playing king of the hill on piles of gravel left on vacant construction sites. Mom simply pulled out a 50-cent bottle of Mercurochrome, and then we got our butt spanked. Now it’s a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $50 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat.

We all took gym, not PE … and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked’s instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can’t recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.

We didn’t act up at the neighbor’s house either because if we did, we got our butt spanked (physical abuse) … and then we got our butt spanked again when we got home.

If we misbehaved, we stayed in detention after school and then paid the price again when we got home and had to explain to our folks.

We had the freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. As a result, our generation produced some of the greatest risk-takers and problem solvers known to mankind.

To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family. How could we possibly have known that we needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes?

Despite all of the many life-threatening hazards I had to deal with growing up, I managed to survive. I did it then, I’ll do it again. All of us will.

This could be a rough year for a lot of people, but it shouldn’t kill us. Take control of your language, thoughts and feelings, and make your life the way you want it to be. YOU WILL SURVIVE!

About Harry K. Jones

Why Haven’t We Seen More of This?

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Harry K. Jones

As I write this, today is Memorial Day, 2009. I spent most of the day traveling from Michigan to the heartland of the great state of Texas. During that journey I witnessed a very unique experience that I wish everyone could have observed in person.

I arrived at the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport to connect to a later flight to Killeen, Texas. While heading to my connecting gate, I suddenly heard what began as a loud, rumbling crowd noise. As I moved closer to the source, it sounded as though I was entering an arena playing host to the final game of the NCAA basketball finals. I continued to approach the crowd of what looked to be about 200 people surrounding a gate where a long line of uniformed men and women were entering the terminal from their plane.

I stood, mesmerized, for about 45 minutes, asked questions of several of those cheering crowd members, grabbed some promotional brochures and headed to my connecting gate filled with an uncanny feeling of patriotism and wonder. Later that night, I visited Google to learn more about what I had witnessed at DFW. What I discovered should be shared with every American citizen.

Apparently, every day, anywhere from 100 to 500 soldiers pass through DFW Airport, via several arriving flights throughout the day, on their way home for two weeks of well-deserved rest and recuperation (R&R). As they de-plane from their aircraft and enter the terminal, they are greeted by a very large crowd of volunteer greeters waving American flags, offering hugs, “hero” teddy bears, baseball caps, gift certificates and heartfelt handshakes, smiles and tears. Many others are yelling words of welcome and thanks.

The large majority of these people know none of the returning soldiers! 90% of these people are volunteers who show up at the airport daily to support our troops! 5% are inquisitive passengers like myself who join the group between planes and 5% are actually friends and family. You had to witness the interaction to fully understand the phenomenal display of mutual love, respect, appreciation and patriotism shared by all those gathered in that small gate area! Take a minute out of your busy day to watch this video to see what I mean. It’ll take a minute or two to load, but it’s well worth the wait. Be sure to watch the entire video as there are a few surprises at the end.

I still can’t get over the fact that this scene takes place every single day! Dallas has welcomed home more than 100,000 soldiers thus far. DFW is one of two U.S. airports to conduct this daily program … the other being Atlanta Hartsfied International Airport. Both airports are proud to assist these members of the armed forces as they return home from their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Participants include corporations, youth groups, schools, civic organizations, religious groups and individuals.

On the second leg of my flight, while reflecting on my thoughts and feelings about what I had just witnessed, I couldn’t help but note the stark contrast between the kindness and patriotism displayed daily at the airport and those who equate Memorial Day with thoughts of outdoor grilling, picnics, boating, and the Indy 500.

Many are unaware that Memorial Day is a federal holiday, that it was formerly known as Decoration Day, or that it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. Thankfully, we can be proud of citizens such as those greeting our troops daily and hope that some day we’ll see stories such as this one in newspapers, magazines, or even on a television newscast. This is certainly the kind of news we need to see more of.

AchieveMax® Blog

Business articles on change, creativity, customer service, leadership, motivation, teamwork, and time management, written by AchieveMax® professional speakers.

Category Archives: Need a Lift?

In the “NICK” of Time

About Harry K. Jones

Man’s Best Friend Continues Legacy

About Harry K. Jones

Patient Lion Roars with Pride

About Harry K. Jones

The Nation’s Future Is in Good Hands

About Harry K. Jones

The Time Has Come! Reach Your Potential!

About Harry K. Jones

A Gentle Giant Soothes the World

About Harry K. Jones

Think Times Are Tough?

About Harry K. Jones

A True Communication Challenge

About Harry K. Jones

You Will Survive

About Harry K. Jones

Why Haven’t We Seen More of This?

About Harry K. Jones