Say Your ABC's Daily

A, B, C, D, E....

Well, that's a different kind of ABC's. How can it be different? The answer is simple, and so is this lesson, but likely the most important.

Sometimes, Dad let everything that life throws consume him. Caught up in distractions with work, family, friends and other responsibilities, Dad - as much as the rest of us - could at times lose focus. I remember walking with him one morning - Dad and Mom are both avid walkers - when he shared with me how he brought his focus back daily.

As I mentioned, Dad and Mom walk religiously; walking up to 4 or 5 miles nearly everyday, in Michigan, even in the winter, is well, nuts. I give them credit for their commitment, however, I tend to avoid that kind of torture. In the words of my friend and fellow pilot, David Jenkins: "I am plenty good at being miserable when required. I certainly have no need to practice ahead of time!" Sorry for the diversion from the main topic, but it was necessary to make this note.

Back to the walk I took with Dad on Rowe road - the place in Milford, MI where I grew up - where I learned the importance of re-centering on that which is most important everyday. Dad and I were walking; he was silent. Enjoying my time with my thoughts, too, I continued to walk beside him without a word. Several minutes into our walk, he asked: "Do you know what I do while I am walking every morning?" Of course I said that I did not.

"I say my ABC's every morning."

"Your ABC's? You have a Masters Degree; probably should have practiced those sooner," I said with a crooked smile.

"Not those ABC's. I start with A. A is for Attitude. Attitude is a decision, and I make a conscious decision every day about the attitude I want to have. When I move on to B, I consider my blessings. I think of all of the great things that God has blessed me with, and the positive influence that those blessings have on my life. Finally, I cover 'C'. Character. I can make a decision about my attitude, and I can count my blessings, but when those two thing fail to support the toughest of times, that's when real character is measured. I commit that no matter what, I will come through my challenges with character. Remember that the best defense is not needing one."