Success Starts Here!

I met an older gentleman named Earl a few years back. We were both waiting on connecting flights in Atlanta and he seemed like a nice enough fellow to strike up a conversation with. Although I wasn't traveling in uniform, he quickly pegged me as a service-member (we sorta stick out like sore thumbs at airports even out of uniform). He asked what service I was in and I told him the Army. He asked me what I did and a series of other questions, the kinds of questions only one soldier asks another. The kind of things that the average person doesn't know about. The daily minutia, habits, and routines many of us in uniform share. Knowing he was probably a Vietnam or Korea era veteran, I asked him about his service. He was humble about it. What he did share were names of buddies from long ago. Stories of getting into trouble and laughing with his friends, of the ole Sarge whipping them into shape, and how cold it was on those hills just outside of Seoul. He talked about his sweethea

As this month began, I noticed friends posting they were going to use each day to post something on their Facebook pages that they were thankful for. I heard about this "movement" in years past, but I was either under the influence or not paying much attention cause I don't remember the number of people choosing to participate in this large of numbers. It has been a long time since I truly enjoyed and felt inspired by the wallposts I woke up to every morning. The last few months my Facebook wall has been a bloody scene of former friends speaking in spiteful and hateful tones towards each other about one political issue or another. Thus, the last few days have been a true joy. You know, I mention this to friends and they always think it is an impossible thing to do; but many years ago, I made a decision. I "chose" to be happy. I grew up a very angry person. I blamed lots of people for my lot in life. I was "forced" to church by my mother and sat the