How To Be Right About Everything

Veteran's Day in the United States is November 11th.  Some of you know that I served in the US Marine Corps.  It was an incredible experience for me - a personal test of emotional, physical, and yes intellectual endurance and composure - that I passed.  I thought so highly of the Marine Corps that I began the process of preparing for Officer Candidate School to coincide with college graduation.  And, although I ultimately took a different path, I would highly recommend the experience for anyone male or female.

Each year particularly on Veteran's Day, Americans have an opportunity to share their perspectives on what it means to be patriotic and to honor those that, for whatever reason, chose to join and serve in our armed forces.  Not surprisingly to some, the day can also be one of passionate debate about the same subject - the military, foreign policy, national security, and what to do about terrorism.

For each opinion, a justification is in accompaniment and, wow, do they vary.  But, as Americans, while we value diversity, we seem to struggle within divisiveness.  Perhaps there is a way to see past the polarities, the many different arguments, and still make the topic personally real to everyone.  If getting on the same page is your goal, keep reading.

Each of us is going to be who we are regardless of all the postures and related godly or ungodly justifications - the only pervasive questions might be for some: How do I wish to perceive myself and others in any moment? Which perception will open my options in the relationship and which will constrain my options?

Ultimately, each person perceiving reality faces those questions and provides related answers in every moment of existence whether they are aware of this or not.  You might view the shared response to these questions as our collective stance as a Nation - so, while your contribution is unavoidable, you might consider making it consciously.

A friend of mine recently expressed just how terribly offended he was by the "terrorists" - he added that he was ready to volunteer immediately. He then asked me what i thought about that? I simply replied, "Show me the enemy and I'll stand at your side."

He answered, "I can't show you the enemy because the enemy is on the TV and I hear about them in my church and at work and now all that stuff is in my head." I replied, "Do you believe everything you see and hear?" He answered, "Well, no, I don't." I then asked him, "How do you decide then what's real and what's fiction?" He responded, "I guess if I'm honest, I'm not really sure, but its all in my head now, what am I supposed to do?"

I replied, "Only you hold the key to what's in your head. Unlock it, then decide what you want in there." He answered with laughter, "Nash, I think you've just defined what it means to be a truly Patriotic American."

I answered, "Or, perhaps what it means to be a human being - take your pick - perhaps selecting the viewpoint that enables you to have more relationship options with everyone if that's what you want."

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Nash Mourad and his partner Kay-Marie Adkins run the consulting firm Emergent Awareness. They help top companies and government agencies develop vision, build diverse and international teams, solve previously unsolved problems and manage multiple business transformations. To learn more about facts, choices, and the right-minded perception that fosters personal peace and empowerment, read Nash’s new book, How To Be Right About Everything – Volume 1.