A Dead Duck May Open Your Eyes

A woman walks into her vet’s office with her beloved pet duck that is dying. She says to the vet, “Doc, you've got to save my pet duck.” The doctor looks over the duck and determines the duck is in fact dying and there is nothing that can be done to save it. The woman exclaims, “With all of modern medicine, is there nothing you can do for my duck?” The doctor looks at her and asks, “are you sure you want me to go through with it?” “Yes, yes. Anything” exclaims the woman. The doctor gets on the office phone and says something to his nurse.

A few minutes later there is a knock at the door. The doctor opens the door and in walks a tall black Labrador retriever. The doc looks at the dog and says, “You know what to do”. The lab jumps on the table and begins looking over the duck. He sniffs the duck from bill to tail feathers. Finally, the lab looks up and shakes his head. The dog jumps down and walks out the door.

A moment later a second knock is at the door. The doctor opens the door and this time, in walks a beautiful orange cat. The doctor looks at the cat and says, “You know what to do.” The cat meows and jumps on the table. Sniffing the duck and gently pawing at its feathers, the cat looks up and shakes his head. The doctor opens the door and the cat walks out.

Again the doctor looks at the woman and says, “I’m sorry ma’am, we've done all we can do. Your duck doesn't have much time. You should take it home where it will be comfortable.

With her head hung low, the woman collects her duck and starts out the door. “Just a minute” says the doc. “You need to settle your bill”. He hands her a bill for $5000. Floored, the woman asked how in the world he could charge her $5000 to look at her duck and tell her the duck was dying, something she already knew. “Well,” said the doctor, “when you came in here, I told you your duck was dying. That would have only been a $15 office visit. You insisted I perform more tests, so I had lab work done and a cat scan.”

Aren't we like this woman sometimes? Aren't there a lot of obvious things that we already know, but it takes an “expert” to point them out? What about the obvious things in our community? What about the obvious all around us that because we see it every day, we often overlook?

I recently used this story in a presentation to one of our Leadership Jones County groups. I wanted them to understand that this is one reason why our EDA and Chamber hosts Leadership Jones County programs.

We spend 8 months or so taking a deeper look at our community. We “go behind the walls” of some of our local businesses and industry. We spend time with our state and local government officials. And we take a look at those challenges and opportunities our community has for greatness. We want to open our participants’ eyes to the obvious so that we can collectively engage our community and create a better place to live, work and raise a family.

Each of our teams, both in Leadership Jones County and Future Leaders of Jones County, have done an outstanding job this year with their projects. They have instilled pride in our community. They have overcome obstacles that they identified. They have faced challenges and the outcome has made our community a better place for future generations.

After Abraham Lincoln had won his bid for presidency, he was supposed to head to Washington immediately. He delayed his departure because he had been asked to speak about a young friend who had passed away. In his eulogy, Abraham Lincoln said of his friend, “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ”

I am very proud of each one of our leadership program participants. I am proud of our graduates and past participants. I am grateful for the legacy they are leaving for our community. Each of them has strived for the betterment of our community and none of us will fully know what those seeds planted will accomplish, but if the tradition of our community’s founders stands true, I expect nothing but greatness from each of them and each of you. 

---

* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, April 27, 2014 issue

 of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.

Make Your Mark

“If we are to be really great, we must strive in good faith to play a great part in the world. We cannot avoid meeting great issues. All that we can determine for ourselves is whether we shall meet them well or with ill will.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

Do you ever get dumbfounded by the simplicity of an object or its application. I was recently working on something and every ink pen I could find would not write. With a little modern ingenuity from my pocket knife and a lot of luck, I found a pencil stuck in my desk and I was back in business.

As I began to write, I began thinking about the usefulness of pencils and a story I once heard of a Pencil Maker who was preparing to put an important hand crafted pencil into a gift box. Before doing so, he took the pencil aside and to the pencil he said, “There are five things you need to know. If you can remember these five things you will become the best pencil you can be. “First: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone else’s hand. Second: Sharpening is painful, but it is critical if you want to become a better pencil. Third: Because you have an eraser, you can correct most mistakes you make, though some may be harder than others to erase. Fourth: You may or may not look all that great on the outside, but remember that it’s what’s inside that’s most important; in fact for you, it’s your most important quality. And Fifth: Whatever surface you are used on, make sure you leave your mark. No matter how hard, rough or easy, you must continue to write.”

Pencils have been around for a long time. In doing some quick research I discovered that pencils were first discovered some time before 1565 (some sources say as early as 1500). An enormous deposit of graphite was discovered in Cumbria, England. The locals found that it was very useful for marking sheep. This particular deposit of graphite was extremely pure and solid, and it could easily be sawn into sticks. This remains the only large-scale deposit of graphite ever found in this solid form.

The value of graphite was soon realized to be enormous, mainly because it could be used to line the moulds for cannonballs, and the mines were taken over by the English Crown and guarded. When sufficient stores of graphite had been accumulated, the mines were flooded to prevent theft until more was required. Graphite had to be smuggled out for use in pencils.

England continued to enjoy a monopoly on the production of pencils until a method of reconstituting the graphite powder was found. The distinctively square English pencils continued to be made with sticks cut from natural graphite into the 1860s.

American colonists imported pencils from Europe until after the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin advertised pencils for sale in his Pennsylvania Gazette in 1729, and George Washington used a three-inch pencil when he surveyed the Ohio Territory in 1762. It is said that William Munroe, a cabinetmaker in Concord, Massachusetts, made the first American wood pencils in 1812. 

A thing as simple as a pencil, something we take for granted (until our ink pen wont write) has a vast and rich history. Kings and Royals guarded its very existence because its usefulness was so valuable. How much more valuable is our usefulness?

We as individuals are very much like pencils. We as leaders and volunteers in the community need to guard our talents, but we need to sharpen them and put them to use toward the betterment of our community, always striving to leave our mark.

Just as pencils, we must first, be humble: we must often be carefully guided through bosses, mentors and people who care. Second, we must stay sharp: feedback is painful at times, but without it we will become dull. Constantly take the time to sharpen your skills through feedback. Third, it’s okay to make mistakes: In the process of becoming a better leader you will make mistakes, but, embrace those mistakes as opportunities to learn. Learn, erase and become better! Fourth, believe in you: We all come in different shapes, sizes and colors – just like pencils. But it’s what is on the inside that matters the most. You can have an important impact on others by believing in who you are and what your purpose is. And lastly, don’t give up: There will be times you will wonder if it is worth it, but people are depending on you so keep on going. Hold to your vision even when it seems it has dulled.

If you continue to remain focused on these five things, I am sure you will become a better leader and a better pencil in our community, always leaving your mark. And I know our community will be better off because of it.

---

* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, April 6, 2014 issue
 of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

“When the blazing sun is gone, when the nothing shines upon,
then you show your little light, twinkle twinkle all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark, thanks you for your tiny spark,
he could not see which way to go, if you did not twinkle so.”

— The Star by Jane Taylor

The house lights dimmed. The concert was about to begin. A mother returns to her seat to discover her child missing.

Suddenly, the curtains part and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.

In horror, the mother sees her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently plinking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master makes his entrance, quickly moving to the piano, he whispers in the boy's ear: "Don't quit.""Keep playing."

Leaning over the child, Paderewski reaches down with his left hand and begins filling in a bass part.

Soon his right arm reaches around to the other side of the boy, and he adds a running obbligato.

Together, the old master and the young novice transform what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.

Perhaps that's the way it is with us. Do you have someone in your life that fills in the gaps and makes your feeble attempts into beautiful music? Are you that person for someone else?

I have no idea if this is a true story or not. It is an excerpt from an email I received once, but it sure does make you think doesn’t it? If you are a parent, it tugs at your heart strings a little too.

Don’t we want to wish this story is true? Isn’t it what we wish for our own lives? In our own insecurity, don’t we all want to know that there is a Master reaching his arms around us to make our fumbling attempts at melody into a beautifully orchestrated concert piece?

For many of us, what we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't always graceful flowing music. Sometimes we even see others hunting and pecking for that right key. Perhaps there is a little voice inside us that says we can be the master to others?

The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You may hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit." "Keep playing." Maybe, you need to be that composer who encourages another. Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire.

Reach out to someone. Take them by the hand and help them place their fingers on the right keys. I’m certain that if you do, you will receive far more reward by helping another, than from just helping yourself. Our community will be a better place because of it too!

It’s hard for me to share this story without recalling the words of my grandmother who said this to me many many times, “Remember, God doesn't seem to call the equipped, rather, He equips the called”.

-----
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is a popular English lullaby. The lyrics are from an early 19th-century English poem, "The Star" by Jane Taylor. The poem was first published in 1806. It is sung to the tune of the French melody "Ah! vous dirais-je, Maman", which was published in 1761 and later arranged by Mozart.

---

* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, March 16, 2014 issue
 of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.

Who Is Packing Your Parachute

“Great men are rarely isolated mountain peaks; they are the summits of ranges.”

— Thomas Wentworth Higginson

Do you ever take the time to think about the fast food attendant that takes your order or delivers your meal? What about the postal worker or UPS driver that sorts and delivers the packages for you to conduct your daily business? What about the truck driver who delivers fuel to the service station so that you can fill up your car and go about your daily chores. I expect that you, like me, give little, if any, thought about these individuals.

In the daily grind of life we often fail to recognize all of the good that is done on our behalf. I heard this story once that helps me remember all those individuals who are on “my team” and help me accomplish my tasks.

This story is about a jet fighter pilot in Vietnam by the name of Charles Plumb. Plumb had completed 75 combat missions when he was shot down, ejected and parachuted into enemy hands, afterwards he spent six years in a Vietnamese prison. Fortunately he survived and today shares with groups the many lessons he learned.

One day while eating at a restaurant with his wife a man came up and said, "You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb. "I packed your parachute," the man replied. Charles Plumb in surprise and gratitude had to catch his breath. 
The man then shook his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him it had and said, "If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Charles Plumb is now a motivational speaker telling this story to hundreds. He always ask his audiences after telling it, "Who's packing your parachute?"
Charles Plumb is now a motivational speaker telling this story to hundreds. He always ask his audiences after telling it, "Who's packing your parachute?"

That night Plumb could not sleep. "I kept pondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform - a Dixie cup hat, a bib in the back, and bell bottom trousers”, he said. “I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said good morning, how are you or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor", recalled Plumb.

Plumb thought a lot about that man who had packed his parachute and the hours he spent at a wooden table at the bottom of the ship carefully packing his and others chutes. He held in his hands the chute; the fate of someone he didn’t even know. 

In our life many people have a hand in our parachutes. Are we taking the time to acknowledge them, thank them, reward them? It is very easy to overlook the work of the many people we come in contact with each day. When an athletic team has won a championship do you ever hear them thank the trainer, the cook, the bus driver? Do they take the time to reward them too? It takes a lot of people to create a championship team, just as it takes a lot of people to make us successful each day.

We often notice those who aid in helping us be late, miss an appointment or negatively affect the outcome of a deal we are working. What about those who help us get it right? The next time you have the opportunity, thank those who are doing a good job. Reward them. Let them know you notice and appreciate them. I know you will be glad you did and our community will be better off because of it.

---

* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, February 23, 2014 issue

of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column.

A Sticky Situation

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”

— Abraham Lincoln

I hope you have recovered from the “Snowpocolypse of 2014”. I hope we won’t see any ice like that again for a long time, but I hear we do have some frigid temperatures forecast for next week, so restock and let’s get ready to hunker-down again!

While I don’t necessarily like the conditions under which it came, I did enjoy very much spending a couple of days at home with my family and getting to experience my boys’ first real snow days in their own home. (We were in Nashville a few years ago when Ethan got to experience his first snow.) I still don’t think our corgi understands or likes snow, at all.

Every time I hear ice and snow in the forecast I can’t help but think back to the Ice Storm of ’94 that I spent in the Delta. It was beautiful, treacherous, and fun all at the same time. Yes, it was fun for the obvious reasons that we were out of school, we got to head to the levee and slide down those steep hills (they aren't so abundant in the Delta you know), and that I got to throw snow and ice at my sister and didn't get in trouble – that much.

My fondest memories of that time are in regard to my family. We were without power for 14 days. That is an eternity to someone who, at the time, was used to having TV on all the time. We had no power, no TV, no refrigerator, no nothing (it seemed like). Luckily our house at that time was gas. We had a stove to cook on, a floor furnace and gas logs to heat the home, and a gas hot water heater. It was very primitive during that time but we all enjoyed each other as a family. The only form of communication we had was through the one country radio station that wasn't knocked out during the storm. I remember that once they ran out of music, they would play old TV theme songs, just for something different.

As much fun as I remember, I am sure at the time, things weren't so fun. I am sure we got on each other’s nerves. I am sure we bothered each other. And, I am sure at some point we never wanted to see each other again.

Its funny how even the people we love the most get on our nerves and seem to throw off OUR plans and ways of doing things. Sometimes our family’s differences s aren't the only ones that get on our nerves. Some times it’s our co-workers. Other times it may be our teammates. Perhaps still it is a social group or civic club that ruffles our feathers. I heard this great story that illustrates my point and I’d like to share it with you. It goes something like this:

It was the coldest winter ever in January that year. Many animals were dying. There was a group of porcupines that realized their situation was not so good. So they decided to huddle together. By grouping together they would be covered, protected, and their warmth would spread to one another. But huddling together caused a curious problem. The quills of each porcupine began to wound the one next to them.

After awhile it was decided that it would be better to distance themselves from one another. However, it was too cold and one by one they began to die alone and frozen. So the remaining team of porcupines made a choice; either they accept the quills of their companions or succumb to death. 

Wisely they each made the decision to huddle back together. Though it wasn't easy, they learned to make it work and meet their goal to survive the winter in warmth. 

No team is perfect; no family is either. We all have our differences and our own expectations that we bring with us. Sometimes we get on each other’s nerves and sometimes we let others differences effect our performance. Truly successful teams understand these differences, but they also embrace, admire, and celebrate the strengths of their team members.

Just as the story and quote above stated, let’s not die alone in the cold because we could not accept other’s differences; let’s celebrate the beautiful roses and forget the thorns. Problems will arise. It won’t be easy to get around them sometimes, but if we look for the good in each other and celebrate the good and positive things happening all around us, your teams and our community will be better off because of it!

I hope you stay warm as the harsh winter gives way to the beauty of spring, but I also hope you can celebrate the beauty all around you during this time of year. You will never have this time in your life again, so live it to its fullest. I know you will be glad you did.

---

* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, February 2, 2014 issue

of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column.

The Second Mouse

“Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.”

— Henri Bergson

Ever since I was a boy I remember my parents and grandparents telling me, “The early bird gets the worm”. It wasn't until I was in college that I heard the second part of that saying. An alternate version of this statement and one that I am often reminded of states, “It may be true that the early bird gets the worm, but it is also just as well that the second mouse gets the cheese”.

When I was a boy, and still sometimes today, my parents would often scold me for “thinking too much” and not doing enough (or as often was the case, not doing whatever chore they had asked on their set time frame . Many times, it wasn't that I wasn't moved to action or wanting and willing to complete the task, but rather than just “check the box” that the task was completed and done, I wanted to do it right, I wanted to do it better, and I wanted there to be a significant purpose for doing said task. - It was often hard for me to find a meaningful purpose to folding my clothes and cleaning my room, but as I soon found out, losing my driving privileges was a great motivator!

There is a lot to be said for being quick to action. You certainly want to be reactive to issues as they arise and sometimes it is best to go ahead and just get done those chores that we don’t want to do, such as the laundry and housework.  But, there is also a time when being quick to action just might put you in a worse situation. I am reminded of a story I once heard of a Fox and a Goat.

“One day a fox fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape.  A goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the fox, inquired if the water was good.  Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise, the fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to descend.  The goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape.  ‘If,’ said he, ‘you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards.’  The goat readily assented and the fox leaped upon his back.  Steadying himself with the goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could.  When the goat chastised him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, ‘you foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape.’”

Sometimes it is better to think before we act. Sometimes it is better to act before we think too much. The difficult part is knowing when is the right time to take an extra moment and plot your exit strategy before you begin.

I hope that as you begin your new year you have had some time over the holiday to think through the past year. What were those times you might have reacted to quickly? What were those times that you weren't quick enough to action? Can you learn from the actions of your past to improve your future?

As we lead into the New Year with our minds clear and our goals set, let’s take time to pause for half a second before we begin to make sure our actions are oriented to meaningful outcomes, but let’s never be led to not take action because we were trying to over think the solution.

I know that 2014 is going to be a great year for Jones County and I know it will be the result of our mindful and driven community leaders. I hope you are a part of it because I know that if you are, our community will be so much better because you are. Happy New Year everyone!

* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, January 12, 2014 issue
of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column.

Merry Xmas!

“Christmas is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that is carried in one's heart.”

— Freya Stark

I’ve never been the greatest of scholars. In school my grades were horrible. I couldn't regurgitate dates and information as well as the other students. The things that stuck in my head were the useless little facts that made up, as Paul Harvey used to call it, “The rest of the story”.

I often thought my “claim to fame” would come when I made it to the final round of Jeopardy or some other game show of useless information. Even today the things that fascinate me are the back stories and “extras” from shows on the History Channel, Discovery or some of the other educational based stations.

I particularly like these shows around this time of year. I often am curious how we have come about doing things today the way we do them. CHRISTmas is no different. It really is a very strange and peculiar holiday if you think about it.

It is chock full of unique and strange customs; evergreen trees inside, decorations and ornaments, mistletoe, carols, yule logs, FRUIT CAKE and a whole host of other unique and strange customs. Not to mention, our greetings around the holidays are very strange.

Did you know that for many years people would exclaim Happy CHRISTmas rather than Merry CHRISTmas? Did you know that Xmas, while many think it is an attempt to remove Jesus from the holidays, is not actually a slam on religion, but dates back to the earliest days of the Christian church?

Many today think it is a ploy by a secular society in magazines, newspapers and store advertisements to shorten the word because of ad space or to be sensitive to the non-believers so that they can drive up sales to a larger audience – to all that I say bah humbug, but I do embrace what CHRISTmas and Xmas stand for – inclusion, sharing and love for your fellow man.

According to “Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas” by Ace Collins, “Many of the Gentiles who became the initial followers of Christ were Greek. The Greek for Christ’s name is Xristos (pronounced Christos). While it is well known that a fish was often used as a symbol to denote churches and Christian gathering places during the ancient days of the church, many Greeks also used the letter X (pronounced Chi) as their symbol of faith. This X marked the places where they worshiped. Therefore, the use of the letter X for Christ is one of the oldest traditions of the Christian faith – one of the first concrete symbols that signified the gospel message for people of all races and backgrounds… It also spoke volumes about the nature of Christianity – that all were welcome to become part of the family of God.”

CHRISTmas, whether celebrated as CHRISTmas, Xmas, Hanukah, the Winter Solstice, or the Festivus for the rest of us, is about a time of being with friends and family, sharing, loving, giving and enjoying the company and the compassion of others. I hope your holiday is surrounded by too many friends and family to count. I hope your cup is overflowing and you have a moment this CHRISTmas season to reflect on all the wonderful opportunities you have been afforded this year.

We have so many things to be thankful for in Jones County. Our economy is strong and people are working. People are shopping locally and tourists are frequenting our towns and attractions. Take some time this holiday season to extend some hospitality to a stranger. It may be someone from across the state, or it might even just be your next door neighbor, whoever it may be, let them know of all the great things we have to offer in Jones County. I know you will be glad you did and our community just might grow a little because you did!

From my family to yours and from all of us at the EDA and Chamber, Merry CHRISTmas and have a safe and Happy New Year! 2014 is going to be great for us in Jones County! I can’t wait to get started!

---

* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, December 29, 2013 issue
of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column.