FOR WHAT PURPOSE………?
June 1, 2025
Some forty-five years ago I traveled the world, meeting with good people who shared our values and principles. I also met with people you wouldn’t want to take home to meet your family or spend any time with. Some of my clients or contacts were seen on television news investigation programs and on nightly news reports. One customer had me install “entourage seating” in the rear of his four engine Boeing aircraft. I learned that when he left his country, he took some of his enemies’ relatives so if anything went wrong while he was out of the country, he had someone to “whack” if necessary. We won’t talk about the “big guy” who traveled with his very own living heart donor! At the recommendation of a security advisor, I traveled with bullet resistant brief cases and vests. Thankfully I never needed them but there were times when I wondered if I would make it home. My passport was stamped so many times that customs agents added a couple of fold out pages. I always got strange looks from customs agents who probably wondered what I did for a living.
As you and I look back, we can think of countless bad situations we had to deal with. We now realize that the bad situations helped prepare us for even greater challenges in our lives. My brief glimpse into the dark side of the world early in my career was a blessing that allowed me to see what people who wear uniforms do on a daily basis to protect you and I. My experiences helped me understand that in some circles there are no excuses for failing to perform. Had it not been for these experiences or situations I would probably have never started keeping a daily journal to leave for my kids so they would know more about their dad.
These experiences may explain why I am intolerant of people with excuses for failing to get something done. I am not sure that many people understand the distinct difference between activity and results. I remind myself that we are all God’s children, but “No Excuses” is screaming in my mind.
One of my favorite television shows as a kid was Dragnet, where Sergeant Joe Friday would shut down those he interviewed with the statement “Just the facts” to emphasize that he wanted information without embellishment or exaggerations. He wanted accuracy – not opinions, biases, or guessing. Often I ask “yes” or “no” questions and after someone babbles, I ask them again, “Is that a yes or a no?” Most of the time they get my intended learning lesson.
I remind myself that when I feel uncomfortable, I am probably in a growing zone and I strive to look for the learning lessons. Without these lessons we would not be prepared for the more difficult challenges in life. In my opinion, too many people give up on dreams during these often lonely and painful times. They will never know what could have been had they persevered. You probably can think of many “dead end” moments that you have felt in life but by the grace of God and not giving up, you got through them. I love to think about the scripture that says, “Trust me with the little things and I will trust you with greater things.”
I like to use the analogy of a country and western music star who is said to be an overnight sensation. Behind these perceptions are lots of honky tonks, beer joints, sleeping in the truck and feelings of being blessed to have just enough money to sleep in a cheap hotel. For me there have been many nights of being alone in totally empty hangars with years of lease obligations wondering what I was thinking when I leased them! I often share with young people my “old man” words of wisdom: “Dream big, work harder than you could ever imagine, keep the faith and good things will happen, by the grace of God!”
There is a purpose for everything in life, but we don’t always understand why some things occur. Keep the faith! I am “Funded on Faith,” striving to make a positive difference in the lives of those we employ, serve and encounter and you can do the same. God bless you and ……“No Excuses!”
Written by KING AEROSPACE Founder, Jerry Allan King-Echevarria.