This is a really important day – Memorial Day. Honoring the sacrifices of the men and women who have served and paid the ultimate sacrifice for us and our country, to provide us the freedom we enjoy. World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, etc. and currently.
A friend of mine, his son had died, 2nd Lt JP Blecksmith. JP was commanding a unit in Iraq during the house to house fighting in Fallujah, Iraq.
I’ll never forget the speech given at the funeral service by his Commanding Officer. In speaking of the passing of Lt. JP Blecksmith, and such a tragic event, he said that we all need to understand one thing. That JP is going to continue on, forever. How? Because of the “ripple effect.”
Like when you throw a pebble into a pond creating ripples that seem to go out endlessly, those men and woman that JP saved that day, got home. They had families. Those children will become the next doctors, healers, people that will contribute to society and the world. And so will their children. Like the ripples in a pond.
It’s because of JP’s sacrifice, which caused a ripple effect, that will continue, endlessly.
That was so moving and motivating to me. It’s also about legacy. The things we do, and the actions we take, they really don’t end. The ripple effect continues.
So on this Memorial Day, I hope you think about the ripple effect of all those who have sacrificed for all of us and the freedoms we enjoy.
And I challenge you all to also do one other thing this entire week.
I challenge you to think of YOUR ripple effect. What ripple effect are you going to put in place and drop in the pond that will continue. For your team, if a doctor for your patients, whatever you do, think about the ripple effect that YOU can make that will continue to last and improve the world.
Embrace the ripple effect.
