Good morning!  It’s Friday!  It’s Veterans Day and the elections are over!

This week I had a reunion with friends, former colleagues, competimates, mentees, mentors, and like-minded people at an industry function where we celebrated the first emerging leader group graduation through the American Council of Engineering Companies – North Dakota.

The venue for the celebration of this deliberate, three-year long investment in the future of solution provider leadership was the Heritage center on the capitol grounds.  What a setting!  What an event!  What a night!

It was clear that this class had bonded, stretched themselves outside of their comfort zone, made themselves vulnerable in front of their competitors and have grown tremendously during the process so they can LEAD the future.

Today we recognize, honor and thank those who served in the US armed forces…sacrificed time, talents, ability to grow their personal fortunes or hug their family daily…so we can all HAVE a future.

Elections are over!  Processes were followed and decisions have been made.  But wait…

•Protests ensued?  Really?!

•Death threats are being made?  Seriously?

Regardless of who you agreed with, supported and voted for to SHAPE our future, we live in a country where a popular vote and an electoral college coexist, where media makes mistakes daily and expects a back page retraction or a 10 second apology will make it all right.

So, what are the protesters protesting?  I’m unsure.

The independence we enjoy is based on brave men and women who raised and continue to raise their voice (and arms) when there is an injustice in the world.  If there is no injustice, then I think it’s just walking and whining.

Time to accept change.  Time to think toward the future and time to get past  sedentary lifestyles and make change instead of complaining to the world that you want things to be different without actually doing something about it.

Have a blessed weekend!