Another July 4th has come and gone. There have been 235 of them, so far. Will there be more?
How much would it take for us to lose the freedoms we enjoy? The point could be illustrated this way:
One of our C4 executives and I were having a conversation about the recent email that showed the American Flag being abused (again) and the state of Arizona’s flag was as well. The comment was, if they (the protestors) dislike the policy, why don’t they leave?
There was a line in a movie once that went something like this: It’s difficult to be an American citizen. You have to know that freedom isn’t free and that a symbol of your freedom (the flag) is what makes you free, it’s what you do. It’s what we do. Freedom is always a work in progress. It can’t be static. It’s not a one size fits all as countries and policy changes all around the world.
If we object to the protestors point of view, it’s up to us to insure that they message isn’t the only one or point of view being heard.
Over the years, in my lifetime, I’ve been a witness to the activity (or lack thereof) of the great “silent majority.” Today, we have the largest group of seniors coming of age of any previous generation. What will we do. Will we build a bridge by insuring our freedoms or sit back and watch show.
Many of us voted for President Obama and others because we wanted change. Putting two polar opposites into a room will not produce change. It will not solve problems. What we need (my opinion) are men and women that are prepared to negotiate for solutions. Our country needs men and women that will work for peace within our own country. We need to rebuild. Not the same America that existed in the 50’s, 60’s or even the early part of this new century. We need today’s America with all of its complexity but for the betterment of its citizens. That seems to be what’s missing. The minority point of view wins, the hard lines are drawn and the internal battle lines are drawn. Congress and the Senate seem to have forgotten what it means to meaningfully negotiate.
How much time do any of us really have? Most of us believe, when we are children in school that the time we have is infinite. Life will go on forever. It’s not until someone you know or respect dies that you realize, there may be a limit as to how much time we have.
My Father died at age 42 and my Mother died at age 44. When I was a boy, my Grandmother always called me EJ (my Father’s name) because we were so alike. We were, the same in appearance and many other ways. Like many young boys and men, it’s an extreme compliment to be referred to as being “Just like your Dad.” However, when you come to believe what they’re saying and then your Father dies at age 42, it may even be logical to think that you’ll also die at the same young age. I did.
So, there was a time up to and including age 42. I thought I would die at that age. I lived.
At age 61 I suffered a heart attack. Because of the paramedics and then the surgeon, I lived.
Now, at age 64 I underwent heart surgery [again]. I lived. (more…)
The most prominent feature on Mr. DR Rawson’s personal crest is its shield. The castle design is from the Rawson Family original family crest that was given to the family in the 12th century by the King of England for saving his life. The castle represents safety.
The next design element is the two-piece laurel wreath. One side represents his wife Margaret and the other half represents DR and the branching of their mutual desire to provide positive leadership for the purpose of overcoming adversity.
The six stars at the top are for his six children (Steven, McKay, Taylor, Morgan, Cameron and Katy). The Masonic Logo represents Mr. Rawson’s commitment to the Principles and Values originally taught to him by his grandfather (HH Rawson, 320) and then his father-in-Law (Illustrious Preston M. Jones, 330, Past Potentate) and that Mr. Rawson is a 320 Knight Commander Court of Honor (K.C.C.H.) Mason.
The double-headed eagle is central to the Scottish Rite. It generally evokes the admonishment to “know thyself” and is viewed with its outstretched wings to remind a Mason to provide protection and of his responsibility to justly lead others. The white head of the Eagles represents commitments made to be strong, have courage and to use his foresight for the benefit of others first and then oneself.
The Masonic Square and Compass represent the foundation of Masonry. The Square reminds a Mason to always square his actions by the square of virtue with all mankind. The Compass reminds a Mason to always have the strength to circumscribe his desire and keep his passions within due bounds. In other words, he must guard himself to prevent his falling into the grip of greed and excess.
The exact placement of the Master Mason’s symbol with a G in the center represents the fact that G-D is to be at the center of a Mason’s life. As such, his faith must be in G-D first and then the principles and values of Masonry second. It sits between the Stars and the Eagle representing the Mason’s place in his family and their future.
The design was created as a result of a discussion between Mr. Rawson and his daughter Katy. She then created the finished crest. The colorization came from Chris Edwards who served as the Director of Image and Design for C4 WorldWide, Inc. at the time the design was created in 2008.
Beginning with Mom and Dad, then a big brother or sister or even a great friend, most of us have people that influence our lives. Besides family, Zig Ziglar was my first. He’s the first person that I ever paid real (hard earned) money to see in person. It was life changing for me. He had written a book back in the mid ’70s called, “See you at the top.” Click here to get this book.
The quote in the picture above is something I’ve said to others and to my children for as long as I can remember. The other is, “How can I be helpful?” Both of these quotes are from men I admire and each, in their own way, have influenced some aspect of my life.
This morning, I found an advertisement for yet another publication from Zig. He’s the author of 26 books. Life changing books. In an age where sound bites are what most people use to convey a message, perhaps we could restart the tradition of using quotes. They can illustrate principles, values, emotions and certainly motivate others. Here’s Zig’s newest effort. Click here to see it.
My purpose here is NOT to sell books. My purpose is to let you know that DR Rawson is the result of learning many things in life. A life dedicated to helping others.
Thanks Zig.
Husband, Father, Grandfather, Son, Brother, Uncle, 32 Degree, K.C.C.H. Mason, Serial Entrepreneur, Possibilist, Chairman & CEO, Leader, Speaker, Philanthropist, Veteran, and Friend.
A successful entrepreneur with 23 companies to his credit, Mr. Rawson is focused on solutions that provide sustainable answers to domestic and global issues. 
