In 1956, then Senator John F. Kennedy
authored the book Profiles in Courage for
which he received the Pulitzer Prize in 1957 (2000). Kennedy chose to highlight the works of eight
of his contemporaries who occupied the Senate Chamber long before he first
stepped foot through those hallowed doors.
These men rose to a challenge (on certain issues) and stood by their
convictions against either the populist views of the country, or the wishes of
their own party line. For several, it
cost them either another term in Congress or a chance at the Presidency. In the end, they maintained a high level of
integrity at a sacrifice to their own personal aspirations, something Kennedy
termed heroic (2000). Facing adversity,
they took the road less traveled, and left a lasting legacy to the advancement
of these United States.
While not all of us will ever aspire to
political office; many, as a course of human design, will face our own challenges
in life. How we respond to and overcome
these bumps in the road, can steer us to become something far greater than
ourselves which, in the end, will benefit humankind for ages to come. Leading from the front (and not standing on
the sidelines) is one of the best ways to teach others how to always take the
high road. Let’s explore examples from
everyday life:
·
In a story coming out of Chicago earlier this
year, a young girl lost her battle with the most aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin
Lymphoma. Instead of curling up in a ball and accepting the fate that she was
dealt, this inspirational individual began to advocate for others who may beset
with the same illness by asking that fundraising efforts for research into this
disease continue long after she was gone. Her story commanded a strong social
media presence that brought light to this terminal illness for which she will
always be remembered.
·
Think of a time when you stood by a
friend, family member, or work colleague when he or she was in dire straits due
to circumstance; only to be ridiculed by others in your circle who had turned
their backs on this same individual. Even
though it cut against the grain of the majority view, the lasting friendship
that you maintained and strengthened, more than likely outweighed the others that
fell by the wayside. A great reward
(example of courage) in and of itself.
In the foreword to the 1964 memorial
edition of Profiles in Courage,
Robert F. Kennedy left us with some sage advice that still rings true to this
day when he said: “This book is not just
the stories of the past, but a book of hope and confidence for the future. What happens to the country, to the world,
depends on what we do with what others have left us.” The next time you are faced with adversity
what are you going to do: take the high
road or remain idly on the sidelines subservient to the majority view? In the end I leave that for you to decide on
how you want to be remembered.
On this past Wednesday, during the 2015 ESPY’s,
the Pat Tillman Award for Service was presented to Danielle Green. Her story is an example of how one could rise
above circumstances for the benefit of the greater good. Enjoy this short inspirational video-
References
Kennedy, J.F. (2000). Profiles in Courage (Perennial Classics
ed.). New York: HarperPerennial.
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