By Diana Wood
Published in the Morgan Hill Life August 3 – 16, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
Out of the corner of my eye recently, I spotted my old friend, Glory. I lifted my head to get a better look and had to squint because the sun was shining so brightly behind her. There is something majestic about her presence, her posture always causes me to stand a little straighter, taller and prouder. Glory looked down at me and smiled with the eyes of encouragement, love and concern. She knew that things had reached a heightened intensity in life.
Even while gleaming in all her glory, a tear welled in her eye. She herself is in the process of adjusting to new times, circumstances and happenings in our great country – issues that seem to impose concern for her very existence. There was a time when both men and women would stand when she was introduced into a room. Men would remove their hats, boys their baseball caps and there would be a common reverence when she was mentioned and addressed.
My friend, Old Glory, proudly and confidently stands behind the four facts of leadership: Everything rises and falls with leadership. Leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less. The highest form of leadership is self leadership. The most important responsibility of leadership is adding value to others.
Old Glory passionately expresses as a leader she must firmly stand, whether popular within her home or abroad. Whether challenged, disrespected, or adored as a leader, she must stand. Glory proudly expressed, “I was there when we were a new nation. I was there for the war between the states. I was there when we extended our hand over seas to help our brothers and sisters of the world during the Great War, World War II, Vietnam, Korea, the Middle East, and the attack on the World Trade Center. I was there. I saw everything.”
Glory passionately represents, “I must stand for the values I believe in. I must stand at times in intercession for what is right for the people, as I am able to see farther than the people who are in the frame of conflict. From my height I can see the horizon of promise. I can see the land of hope, of free enterprise, of equality. It is from my experience that I stand united.”
Her passion for the four facts of leadership is represented in her adornment. Every day she proudly wears the colors of our great country: red, white, and blue. Red is for the blood, blue is for the bruise, white is for the eyes that have fought for me and you. She knows it is imperative that we as a country never forget the price that many have paid for our freedom. We must unite, acknowledge, represent and put into action the change that will serve to strengthen our great country. Change happens from the inside out – inside you, inside me, inside the individuals of our country first and then collectively united as one. We the people represent the rise or fall of our country. We the people represent influence for the people. We the people must start with ourselves and be the change we want for our nation’s leadership.
The next time you see my friend, Old Glory, stop and take a moment to honor her and what she stands for.
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Morgan Hill resident Diana Wood is the president and CEO of Wood Motivation, a certified independent John Maxwell Team coach, speaker and trainer. She can be reached at Diana@WoodmMotivation.com.
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