Sacrifice

For those of us who live in the United States, today has been set aside to remember and honor those who gave up their lives in support of their beliefs and values. They each made the ultimate sacrifice of dying to preserve that which surpassed a basic need to survive. The word 'sacrifice' comes from Latin meaning "to make holy or sacred." From olden days it meant offering something of value to a greater being or cause. It may have been the first fruits of the harvest, an animal, or at times a human being. When we make a sacrifice, we consciously choose to surrender what is important to us for a greater good. It requires great strength and courage to take action at a personal level. Think of the times when you gave up something that truly mattered to you at the time to serve that greater good. What you envisioned as the end result must have greatly exceeded what existed in your current situation for you to have taken those steps. What sacrifices would you be willing to make today that would lead to a better tomorrow?