You Just Keep Doing the
Right Thing
Okay, call
me crazy, but early this morning I had a conversation with my mom. Now, you
should know that my mother passed away several years back, but from time to
time, she still gives me a real good talking to.
This
morning, I woke up in a hotel several hours before the early morning wake-up
call. Typically, I have no problem sleeping. Folks often ask if I can sleep on
a plane and I tell them that I can sleep in the line to get on the plane.
Anyway, I decided to try to find something on TV. Hotels have a limited number
of channels; instead of 800 there may only be fifty. (Yes, that’s sarcasm.)
Anyway, I
selected one of those early morning business channels, and was treated to a
story about Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines. I learned that Branson
started his airline with only one used plane, but in an attempt to shut
him down, the transportation giant, British Airways employed dirty tactics
against Branson’s company. Branson sued BA and won.
The story
reminded of a time when I was starting out on a new job. I was green but hopeful and
I had a strong team of dedicated folks with me. For some reason, a huge
competitor perceived me to be a potential rival. At first I thought it was
hilarious that a billionaire would be threatened by a thousanaire, but when the
tactics became increasingly personal and had an impact on my team and their livelihood
I stopped laughing and just got mad.
I won’t go into the who and what of
it, because that’s really not the point of today’s lesson; suffice it to say
that I kept my head high, stayed in my lane and left the dirty players to their
dirty game.
This morning
though the memory came back and I was flooded with the “what-ifs.” What if I
fought back and played dirty as well? What if I tried to expose the person and
their behavior? What if I hadn’t walked away?
That’s where
my dead mother came in. Her message to me was simple;
“Bertice,” she said, “You just keep
doing the right thing.”
I pondered this message from beyond and felt my mother's love and warmth. I looked around the
really nice hotel room and asked myself another question; “In doing right, what have you lost?”
My answer was swift and sweet; by
being true to myself, my Purpose and beliefs, I have lost nothing.
All is gain.
Today, I want you to take my mom’s
message as your own; “You just keep doing the right thing.”
When things are hard; when others do
wrong; when you are tired; when you get weary;
You just keep doing the right thing.
That’s it. I’ve
got an early flight and in a few minutes, I’ll be getting that wake-up call.
Be you, be well, be
true.
Bertice Berry, PhD.
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