That's why each year when pages on calendar become fewer, and it's time to get a new one, we begin to think ahead of what we can accomplish.

When we get that new calendar, WE have chance of filling in empty spaces with our own plans, our own things to do, our own moments to live for. You know, it's funny. We look back at our lives and wonder just where all time went. Yet, we look forward to something and feel it is just so far away, and wonder if it will ever get here. Well Virginia, yes, it will get here.

It's like story of two friends talking. One saying that he would like to change his whole career and become a teacher. But says it will take 4 whole years of classes and studying and tests and grades before he finishes, and he'll be four years older by time he is done. His friend asks him just one simple question. "How much older will you be in 4 years if you don't go back to school to gain that piece of paper that says you can teach?

Time will go by no matter if we like it or not. So this time of year, somewhat of a pre-amble to New Years resolutions, is our chance to adjust our game plan. Our chance to peek back to see where we have come and how far we are willing to go. It is our chance to get out next year's calendar and fill in blanks so we can have a "better-than-the-year-before" experience.

Within twenty-four hours of attacks, nation had already seen evidence of profiteering by a small number of businesses, particularly in petroleum industry. We are a nation at war. A war unlike any we have fought before, but nonetheless a war. Any who take advantage of this to gouge nation are unworthy of our great country. It is incumbent upon our corporate leaders to guard against even appearance of such practices.

A second necessary counterblow is for corporate leaders to demonstrate their resolve by boldly moving forward and not retreating in a struggling economy. We have seen massive layoffs throughout year. Sometimes cost cutting is necessary, however, we cannot cut our way to growth. We must innovate, reconfigure our resources and if necessary, by sheer grit of willpower, thrust our companies forward with ultimatum to grow. It seems today that whenever we face slightest economic adversity, our response as leaders is to pull back, retrench and "rightsize" in an attempt to protect what we have. It is time to remember that when "going gets tough, tough get going." We are now engaged in a war against tyranny and terror, a war that must be fought upon two fronts, military/political front by our government and marketplace/free enterprise front by our businesses. It is time to quit whining about economy and begin to take concerted action as business leaders to turn it around. In war, one cannot accept retreat and failure. Why? Because one's very existence is at stake. Now, our economic livelihood is at stake and with it a way of life that we cherish and well we should, as it has made us most prosperous nation in history.

To protect this way of life in face of those who will stop at no atrocity, no matter how heinous, to destroy it and us as world's super power both economically and militarily, we must bootstrap ourselves out of current economic slump. This can be done and quickly, if as leaders we will commit to not accepting status quo and all comfortable excuses that come with it. If we, in our businesses will adopt a fighting mentality, understanding that we must succeed in order to protect our nation and our way of life, then we cannot and will not fail. This commitment requires that we abandon our preoccupation with short term results and adopt a mindset of investing into America's future. We have been short changing ourselves by focusing on today's bottom line. Our decision making must be guided by where we need to be in six months, a year and five years, rather than at end of present fiscal quarter. Furthermore, we must be willing to send that same message to our stockholders and debt markets. We are going for future rewards, not present day payoff.

Given this renewed mindset, we can as a nation pull ourselves out of present economic slowdown and get back on high road to long term growth and prosperity. Some sectors that were over-invested will undoubtedly experience shakeout, but this is merely another beneficial facet of our free enterprise system. In so doing, capital will be freed up and reinvested into other sectors that offer more realistic opportunities for potential growth.

Today, we are at a national crises. Once again, we are threaten by an external enemy. Although what has happened is terrible and nothing will ever compensate for enormous loss of life, suffering and grief, there is one redeeming aspect. It is opportunity for men and women of vision who have been placed into positions of leadership to remind us once again that properly led, Americans will overcome any enemy, no matter how depraved. It is time for our corporate leaders to join forces, putting aside petty and selfish self interests, and publicly help our President in bringing America out of this dark hour. Our great nation deserves no less!