800

This is my eight hundredth post on this blog. I’m certain that if I started something out saying, “Let me do 800…” I wouldn’t get that far before I quit.

Here are some other things that I can think of that I’ve done 800 of in my life…

• Days of bowling
• Weeks of working
• Running
• Dinners cooked
• Articles read

There’s more I’m sure, but that list is adequate to make the point. None of these things did I start by setting out to do 800 times or more. I set out to do them because they were fun, made me feel good, or interesting. A body of work isn’t built up by force, it’s built up by finding something in the work that makes it worth it and then wanting to find that value again tomorrow, and the next day after that. Eventually, time takes over and there is something substantial constructed.

Memorial Day seems fitting for this to land on. Many of our service members here in the U.S. found something worth it for them in serving the country. Finding value in their work day after day. The ones honored today sacrificed everything to uphold ideals they believed in. Their body of work isn’t a portfolio. It’s not likely something that can be illustrated. Their body of work 3000 miles across. Their body of work is a large group of people who are safe. Their body of work is our country.

Today, we honor them.

I deeply thank you all for your service.