Will You Move Forward?

Today is Memorial Day in the United States. It is a day to remember the fallen - those military soldiers, seamen, and marines who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. They went into battle for our country, and never came home. While most of America rested in the comfort and safety of their homes, they ran toward the danger and fought to their death. There are parades, memorial services, and lots of stories. We hear stories of friends and relatives who selflessly laid down their lives as heroes. They were heroes who knew the risks of where they were going and what they were doing, but they moved forward anyway.

Flags are everywhere. Patriotism is high. We say, "Happy Memorial Day". Happy? We are celebrating. No, really, celebrating! We are even having cookouts. Tables are draped in red, white, and blue decorations. We are eating our burgers and hot dogs off plates with American flag patterns on them. It's a party to remember the dead.

But we are not celebrating their death. We are celebrating their lives. Today is a day to honor and remember the heroic living they did to give us the peaceful lives we have today. We have Armed Forces Day to honor those who are serving now. We have Veterans Day to honor those who served and lived. Today, we have Memorial Day to honor and remember those who served to the end. We celebrate that they kept fighting.

I often wonder if celebrating is appropriate for Memorial Day. If I were one of the fallen, would I want today to be a somber day or a day of celebration? I think those we honor would want us to celebrate. They gave their lives so we can live - and they would want us to LIVE. They would want us to live happily, to enjoy our lives, and spend time with those we love. They paid a dear price for our freedom, and we owe it to them to get the most we can from that price.

I am a U.S. Army veteran. I served during war time. I've watched friends go into the theater of operations. By God's grace, I never saw combat, let alone been wounded or died. During my military service, I committed to my country to go into battle, to fight and do whatever was necessary to protect the freedom of our nation. When I joined the Army, I gave an oath. I solemnly swore "that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." That oath is a promise to lay down my life if needed. Every soldier signed a blank check when they enlisted. The check was payable to the United States for an amount up to and including our lives. We all committed to move forward into battle when called. We promised to fight to our death.

Today I remember those who were called out on that promise. It is easy to make a promise, but it is so difficult to deliver on it. The soldiers we honor today are the men and women who answered that promise. They were called on it, and they had the courage to deliver. Heroes don't doubt. They just do. I often think whether I would have the courage to do what they did, if I had been in their situation. When I was serving in the Army, we were all "hooah" enough to fight. But today, years after I served, I wonder. Would I move forward into the danger?

My wife often teases me that I have become "one of those old men who watch the History Channel". Admittedly, I am a military history buff. I watch documentaries of my buddies in service. When you are a solider, every soldier is your "buddy". Some you served with. Some you never met. Some you just watch on TV. But each one is your friend, and you would fight for each and every one of them. You have each other's back any day or any time.

The scene at the top of this article is burned into my brain. It is a scene from Normandy Beach, or D-Day as we call it (or Operation Neptune if you are a military buff). These men are approaching the beach. The hatch of that LCVP is about to open. At that moment, they will be called on their promise. Will they have the courage to move forward?

I heard this story time and time again. Those men moved forward. I hear stories of some men going numb to the violence, or going into "robotic mode" where they just go forward without emotion. But I also hear stories of men who kept their senses and drove hard to fight the enemy. Some say they moved forward only because their was no place else to move. But they all moved forward. They stepped forward and they fought. They left safety behind them, entered danger before them, and let their hearts lead them. Because they had the courage to move forward, we won. Victory happens when we have the courage to move forward.

Success comes to those who are willing to move forward, even though the road ahead is full of danger. Whether it's danger to our lives, careers, reputations, or bank accounts, we have to move forward despite it. We have to leave the safety of today for the success of tomorrow. Victory depends on the heart's willingness to move forward into danger. Although we are not in battlefield of war, we are in the battlefield of life. We face challenges every day to drive our businesses forward and to improve our lives.

Our victory depends on our heart's willingness to move forward into danger.

Today, we celebrate those whose hearts were willing. Tomorrow, you decide if your heart is too.

The hatch is about to open. Will you move forward?

Thank you to those who paid the ultimate price. Happy Memorial Day.