Roots, Standards, and the Flag of Gratitude

Roots, Standards, and the Flag of Gratitude

This morning, before the sun had even thought about rising, I set out on my walk. The crickets sang their steady song, and the cool quiet of the morning wrapped around me. My pace was strong enough to get my blood moving, but my mind was steady enough to reflect deeply on life—my own challenges, the struggles of my family, and the burdens carried by my friends.

What struck me is that while the details of our struggles may look different, the foundation is the same: how we respond. Some fall into blaming, complaining, and excusing. Others choose growth. Every day I am faced with the same decision: do I look at what’s missing, or do I choose to see the lesson, the opportunity, and the gold hidden within the trial?

I thought of Bella, facing her challenges as a sixteen-year-old balancing school and a growing bowling career. I thought of Barbi, carrying the weight of so many responsibilities as wife and mother. I thought of my friends, some cutting ties with unhealthy relationships, others chasing excellence while confronting their own limiting beliefs.

The truth is, challenges don’t stop. But neither does the opportunity to rise above them. Like the roots of a tree anchoring the trunk and feeding the branches that eventually bear fruit, it is my principles and standards that ground me. They remind me to do the right thing, in the right place, at the right time—regardless of how I feel in the moment.

And gratitude is the flag that reminds me of it all. As I walked today, I chose to raise that flag high. I was grateful for life itself, for the people I love, for the lessons still unfolding, and for the possibility written into the fabric of each new day. With gratitude, today is not just another day. It is an opportunity to grow, to give, and to live with excellence.

Carpe Diem. Seize the day.