As we passed numerous car sale lots of every denomination fro scion to gm to Hyundai to BMW, I noticed that 99% of the dealerships had an American flag ( or 20 ) prominently placed at the perimeter of their lot.

I’m extremely thankful for the freedom and lifestyle that this great land provides me, and proudly consider myself a patriot, so naturally this display initially made me smile and reinforced my gratitude for
living in the greatest land on earth.

But then something else grabbed my attention. 99% of the flags were at half mast, in mourning for the lives lost recently at the fort hood massacre. I was reminded of the loss and agony of those left behind in
this incident, and through our nations history. We did not get to our present state easily, but rather through sacrifice, difficulties, and much bloodshed. I was rattled out of my non chalant Saturday by a
reminder of the pain that allows my daily freedom and opportunities.

But not all of the flags were at half mast. Why were they not honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives? Ideological differences? Protesting a war?

No.

It seems in a race to be MORE patriotic than others, a few businesses had decided to forgo the standard 25ft flag, and instead went for the 100ft humongous option. Which is fine, except for the fact that they only had a 120 ft tall pole, as did everyone else.

So naturally, if you tried to put the flag at half mass, nearly half of it would be sitting on the ground.

This of course is against all rules and code for displaying the American flag, as it should never touch the ground. Fail.

Oh the irony. So in planning their display of patriotism, the dealership had completely forgotten about the possibility of a day when our nation suffered loss, tragedy, or even death. They forgot to plan for the rainy day, when everything breaks, and when it hits the fan.

I think the main reason i point this out is because i often do the same. Whether in business, my personal life, or a myriad of other situations, i often plan for the ideal, and choose to ignore the possibility of a not so stellar outcome.

I do not plan to, nor do i desire to stop being an optimist at every turn, but rather will strive to have a healthy dose of realism and margins for the possibility of adverse outcomes. we should fly our flags boldly, but we must also be prepared to handle the losses and difficulties that come with the fight.