Survival is just the beginning

In session today we spoke about a woman by the name of Melinda Lopez. This woman fell off of a shrimp boat. She survived the fall but had to last in the water for an excess of thirteen hours before finding an oil rig to rest on. Although finding an oil rig it was another ten hours or so before she was rescued. Survival was just the beginning.

In our RESPECT training we teach that survival is not the end, but it is a necessary step on the way to functioning above and beyond. Even though you overcome one ordeal, it is not over, until it is over. More often than not, we prepare ourselves only for the survival of things like, a test, a surgery, a trip or an even an event, positive or negative. But we don't remain in a state of alertness after that.

A student survives first semester of school and falls off and fails on the second. Survival was just the beginning.

A couple survives the excitement of the wedding day and soon after gets a divorce. Survival was just the beginning.

A patient survives surgery and later gets sick in the aftermath from complications. Survival was again just the beginning.

A mother survives childbirth and now...Well, I think you get the point. Yes, that was just the beginning.

This message is designed to help us not function as the average person who drops their guard prematurely after overcoming a hurdle. But stays alert and prepared at all times. We rise ABOVE and BEYOND.

Respect