What are you trying so hard to do?

Do you ever find yourself saying "If I just had a little more time life would be great!" or asking "Where did all time go?"

In this story you will learn how you can have more time and actually begin to enjoy your day.

Imagine, if you can, three separate fields of roses. Each field tended by it's perspective owner and brimming with life.

This writing will look at two of fields and contrasting results experienced between two gardeners.

Each of gardeners seem to have a green thumb as plants are healthy and green. Still on any given day you may notice that one field is filled with many colors of blooming roses, while other is filled with thorny bushes and not a single bloom in sight.

In one field filled with blooms gardener is tending to weeds. There are not many weeds as it is a practice to remove them each and every morning.

With weeds out of way rest of day is spent enjoying many colors and gentle fragrances of roses.

In other field weeds are many as gardener is very busy tending to rose bushes. In fact this gardener works from sun up to sun down to keep field healthy and still there is not a bloom in sight.

You see there is no time to manage weeds, because gardener is busy clipping buds off of 1000's of rose bushes.

Never having seen a rose bloom, let alone smelled fragrance of such a bloom, gardener sees each bud as a defect, an imperfection, a disease, or something that can harm beautiful thorny bush.

So, it is with great care, and as much love as first gardener, that buds are clipped everyday, by "thorny" gardener, until season has passed.

Here's thing. The Army didn’t invent values. There are many more than seven values that identify desirable human conduct and behavior (and plenty that define undesirable behavior as well), and they've been around for a long time. So, that said, it should come as no surprise that seven Army values are not just for military - they apply to each and every citizen…this makes perfect sense, as all soldiers are citizens first.

We all have positions in life…stations, if you will…and it matters not what your station in life happens to be…some or all of these seven values are tested as a matter of course, each day of one’s life. The values are as applicable to student as they are to professor; as important to patient as they are to doctor; as challenging to child as they are to adult; and as attainable by penniless as they are by millionaire. In short, seven values are for everyone. What are values, and how are they applicable to everyone?

Loyalty - Bear true faith and allegiance to U.S. constitution, Army, and other soldiers. Be loyal to nation and its heritage.

For citizen, this means showing your faith in our nation, your elected and appointed leaders and your fellow citizens. People want to know they can trust you. And you want same reassurances from others.

Duty - Fulfill your obligations. Accept responsibility for your actions and those entrusted to your care. Find opportunities to improve oneself for good of unit.

For citizen, you’ve got a job to do and people depend on you to get it done. If someone needs help, give it to them. If you need help, seek it from your peers. Be consistent in action and deed.

Respect - Treat people as they should be treated. How we consider others reflects upon each of us, both personally and as a professional organization.