March 6, 2009

“There is a huge difference between knowing you are going to be somewhere for 23 years and being somewhere a year at a time for 23 years.”

Time and commitment are such different measures.  Each one of us is probably guilty of having accepted an assignment of one sort or another with the intention of fulfilling it by simply biding time.  We too often allow the passage of time to make decisions for us.  Worse yet, we lull ourselves to sleep thinking that putting in time is an effective measure of our commitment.

A wise retired Army captain who is a good friend of mine spent time in the Korean DMZ in the early 1970’s.  He observed the comings and goings of troops, each one arriving with the knowledge that his tour would be over in 12 months or less.  While the United States had been in the DMZ for some 23 years when my friend arrived, no one individual carried the 23 year burden.  Instead, each individual fulfilled their one year obligation.  In evaluating the behavior of those around him, the Army captain made a sage observation recently when he said, “There is a huge difference between knowing you are going to be somewhere for 23 years and being somewhere a year at a time for 23 years.”

This is by no means an indictment on the commitment of our armed services personnel.  They serve for a cause and with a duty far greater than the rest of us.  No one qualifies to question their charge and pledge.  It is the observation of my friend that I find important.  It applies to all of us, no matter where we are and no matter what our responsibility.  When we measure our commitment based on time, we fool no one but ourselves.  Soon, time becomes the only yardstick.  

Regardless of the duration of the task, our mere presence should never be the touchstone by which standards are set.      

March 6, 2009