The Marine Came In Last and Lost the Race

Lance Corporal Miles Kerr decided to enter a 5K (kilometer) race held during the 2013 Venetian Festival in Charlevoix, Michigan. A young 19 year old Marine, Miles decided not to wear typical running shorts and shoes like everyone else in the race.  Instead Kerr opted to run in his combat boots while wearing his utes (utility uniform pants which most of us would know as camouflage fatigue pants).  He was so confident he could run the race, he decided to wear a fully loaded ruck sack on his back during the race.

After several of his Marines buddies had crossed the finish line, Kerr was no where in sight. After all the other runners had finished the race, his buddies feared something might have happened to Miles along the way.  Maybe he was injured or maybe he had to drop out of the race due to fatigue. Just moments before they assembled to run back through the course to search for their fellow Marine, here came Kerr came around the last turn.

Moving ever so slowly at his side was a small boy; a boy who had become separated from the other kids in his group that he started the race with.  Nervous and scared, the young boy turned to Corporal Kerr midway through the course and asked, “Sir? Will you please run with me?". Kerr smiled, and slowed down his pace.  He decided to run at the boys side during the entire race. 

While at the boy's side throughout the race, Kerr kept urging the young boy who wanted to give up - to keep on going - do not stop running.  Kerr stayed with the boy and ensured he finished the entire course.  When they arrived at the finish line, the young boy was immediately reunited with his parents and his party.

Its interesting to note that Lance Corporal Kerr was actually the last runner to cross the finish line.  Not only that, he had the worse time of all the runners in this race ever recorded.  When asked why he ruined his chance to win this prestigious 5k race, he replied  "I was just doing what I thought any man would do!"

According to the Seals of Honor Face Book Page ... "Lance Corporal Kerr's unwavering commitment to help someone in need reflects great credit upon himself and reflects the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps."

What Do You Do When You Go To Work?

One day a man was walking down Main Street when he noticed a construction site.  The construction firm had erected a large plywood fence around the entire site. Knowing that pedestrians would be curious, the firm cut large circles throughout the fence so people could peer in and see the progress taking place.  The man walked over to the fence, looked through one of the holes, and saw a bustle of activities taking place inside.

As he watched the activities, he saw a construction worker with a hard hat walk towards the fence then exit through a 'secret' gate cut in the fence. The construction worker did not properly close the gate so the man walk over, opened the gate, and went inside. 

He saw three bricklayers not far away and walked over towards them. He went over to the first bricklayer and said, “Excuse me young man, what exactly are you doing?”

The young bricklayer looked up and replied, “What do you think I am doing? I’m laying bricks.”

“I see,” replied the man.  

The man then walked over to the second bricklayer and asked, “Excuse me sir. What is it you’re doing?”

The bricklayer never missed a beat; he didn't look up; he just kept on laying his bricks and said “What do you think I’m doing Buddy? I’m making $18.50 an hour.”

The man replied, “I see.” 
 Finally, the man walked over to the third bricklayer and said, “Pardon me sir, can you tell me what it is you are doing?”

The third bricklayer finished laying his brick, then put down his trowel, stood up, dusted off his knees, raised his hand and pointed to all the bricks he had just laid. He then looked the man square in the eyes and said, “I am hoping to create one of the most beautiful cathedrals this city will ever see.”

Now when you go to work each morning what exactly are you trying to accomplish? Do you go to work to lay a few bricks? Do go to work to earn a few dollars? Or do you go to work to create something you are personally proud of and something that will benefit others?  The choice as to what you do is totally up to you.

Remember - Only Give'em What They Need

A young Minister and his family were transferred to a small rural community. On his first Saturday night, a major snow storm hit the area. When the Minister and his family awoke on Sunday morning, there was nearly a three foot blanket of snow outside. “Do you think we’ll be able to have a service today?” his wife asked. “No,” replied the Minister, “I don't see how anyone will be able to make it to church through all this snow.”

Well two minutes before the start of the scheduled service, the family heard a loud engine roaring in the distance. When the family ran to the windows they saw a farmer driving a big John Deere tractor and he was heading straight for the church. When the farmer arrived at the church he jumped down off the seat.

The Minister ran out to greet him and the farmer said:  “Reverend, “I hope you don’t mind me driving my tractor this morning but I just couldn’t make it through all this snow with my car.” Then the farmer realized the parking lot was empty and he was the only person at the church.

“Maybe you weren’t planning on holding services today” he inquired, “Not at all, we are glad you are here, please come in. We would be delighted to hold a service for you” replied the Minister. As they walked into the church his wife began to play the organ and his children, who were sitting in the choir loft, began to sing.

About an hour and one half later when the Minister finished his sermon he walked to the back of the church, stood by the door and personally thanked the farmer for attending his first service in his new community. 

Curious as to how he did, the Minister asked the farmer “Did you enjoy this morning's service?” “I sure did,” said Farmer Brown, “but to tell you the truth Preacher, it might have been just a bit too much.”

“Too much?” replied the Minister, “What do you mean to Much?" "Well you see Preacher I am just a simple farmer. The only responsibility I have is to feed my cows when they come in from the fields each night. Once in a while after a big storm like this, only a few cows will make it back to the barn. Whenever that happens, I never ever give them the entire load of hay. I only give'em what they need.”

Remember this when you are conducting business - only give the audience what they need. Too much can be too much and sometimes less is best. 

Buddies

There were two childhood buddies who went through kindergarten and all the way to college together.  When war broke, they joined the army together and asked to be assigned to the same unit.  One night while out on patrol, they were ambushed.   Bullets were flying everywhere.

Out of the darkness came a voice, "Harry, help me. Please Harry, help me."   Harry immediately recognized the voice of his childhood buddy, Bill. Harry asked the Captain for permission to go out and help his buddy.  

The Captain said, "No, I can't let you go.  I am already short-handed and I cannot afford to lose one more person. Besides, the way Bill sounds he is not going to make it."

Harry kept quiet, but again Bill's voice was heard in the darkness, "Harry, please come.  Please Harry come help me."  Harry sat quietly because the Captain had ordered him to.  Again and again Bill's voice was heard on the battlefield.

Harry couldn't contain himself any longer and ran over to the Captain, "Captain, that's my childhood buddy. I have to go and help."  The Captain reluctantly agreed and let Harry go.  Harry crawled through the darkness, reached Bill and dragged Bill back into their camp.  

When they arrived back at the camp Bill was dead.  Now the Captain was furious and shouted, "Didn't I tell you he was not going to make it?  He is dead.  You could have been killed and I could have lost a hand.  It was a mistake for you to go out there."

Harry replied, "No Captain, I did the right thing.  When I reached Bill he was still alive and his last words to me were 'Harry, I knew you would come.'"

The Seed

A successful businessman decided it was time to retire.  He  needed to pick a successor, someone to take over the business he had built.  Since he built the company, owned the company and controlled the company, he alone was going to choose the person who would replace him as the President and CEO of his company.

He called all the promising executives, old and young, male and female into the board room and said, "I have decided its time to step down and retire."  The executives were all in shock. The President continued.  "Today I am going to give each of you a SEED – a special SEED, a SEED my wife handpicked from our home garden."

"I want each of you to plant the seed, water the seed and care for the seed.  One year from today, we will meet again in this board room to see what you have grown from the seed I have given.  One year from today, I will judge what you bring back and then I will choose the person who will be this company’s next President and CEO."

The executives went home excited to share the news with their spouses and significant others.  The couples went out that night and bought fancy pots, expensive potting soil and special fertilizers.  They eagerly planted their seed and every day, they would water their seed and watch to see if it had grown.  After about two weeks, some of the executives began to talk about the shoots that were sprouting up from their seed.  

One man, Jim, thought he and his wife did everything right but every time he checked his seed, nothing had grown.  Four weeks, five weeks, six weeks went by and still nothing grew.  By now, others at the office were bragging about the amazing growth of their flowers, shrubs and plants.

Six months went by and Jim still didn’t have a plant.  He continued to water and fertilize his seed every day but still no results.  Feeling like a failure, he thought he must have killed the seed.  Embarrassed, he never said a word to his colleagues at work.

Finally, the year passed and all the executives were told to bring their plants to the board room for inspection by the President.  Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take his empty pot to work but she insisted he be honest and just tell everyone what happened.  Sick to his stomach, Jim knew this was going to be the most embarrassing day in his life, but he also knew it was the right thing to do.

He left the house with his empty pot and walked into the board room.  When he opened the door he was amazed at the variety of plants the other executives brought in. They were so beautiful - different shapes, different sizes and different colors.  Jim briskly walked to the back of the room and quickly put his empty pot on the floor in the corner.

When the President arrived, he greeted everyone as he surveyed the room.  All the while Jim tried to hide in the back of the room. "My, what great plants, shrubs and flowers you all have," said the CEO.  Way in the back of the room he spotted Jim and asked, "Jim where is your plant?" Jim bent down and lifted his small lifeless terra cotta pot. 

The President said, "Jim, bring what you've got to the front and place it here with the rest of the plants."  Jim was terrified.  As he walked to the front of the room, many of his colleagues snickered. 

 

Jim thought, "Everyone will see I am a failure and maybe the President will fire me." 

 

When Jim arrived at the front of the room, the CEO asked, "Jim, what happened to your seed?" 

 

Jim told the President and everyone else in the room the entire story - that he planted the seed, watered the seed, fertilized the seed but nothing happened.  The seed just didn't grow."

 

"Thank you, Jim," said the President.

The CEO then asked everyone to take a seat.  He then announced, "As I stated last year, I will appoint one of you the next President and CEO of this company today!"  With that he said, "Behold your new President and Chief Executive Officer," as he pointed to Jim.  Jim could not believe it; the others, all stunned, thought, "How the hell can Jim be the new President of this company?  He couldn't even get one seed to grow."  

"As you recall," said the President, "one year ago today, I gave each of you a seed, a seed I asked you to plant, water and tend.  The seeds I gave you last year were boiled seeds. Seeds I personally boiled in scalding hot water to ensure they were dead – it was impossible for any of them to germinate." 

"All of you, except Jim, brought back beautiful flowers, plants or shrubs.  It’s obvious when you found the seed I gave you would not grow, you substituted mine with another seed.  Jim was the only person with the courage, honesty and character to bring back a pot with the seed I gave him."  

"This company employs hundreds of people and provides products to countless consumers.  This company needs a CEO who will have courage, character and honesty to always do the right things.  Therefore, Jim will be our new President and CEO starting today."