THE PARACHUTE

1.  The rookie pilot woke up early in the morning. It was still dark outside and his mechanical alarm clock had given the siren at 0300 hours. He had only slept in his dreams from the time he had hit the sack at 2300 hours the previous night. He had tossed and turned in his bed and was trying to clear the pre-flight checks before the most important take off in his life. He had been cleared by his Commanding Officer to fly an independent sortie on a Fighter Plane after a great labor of various military academies and their tough routines. He had finally raised his dream up his sleeve when at 2100 hours the previous day his Commanding Officer told him to be ready for an independent take off. His mathematics started clocking its time inside his brain and his excitement knew no bounds. He was finally fulfilling a long cherished dream that he had nurtured as a teenaged boy.

2.       There were no selfies as mobile cameras did not exist and nor had the digital cameras and Facebook breached temperatures did not the privacies of individuals. The low temperatures did not deter the rookie Pilot from taking a chilled water bath and he was fully conscious of the extreme challenge that beckoned him as he put on his flying dress. He was much ahead of the clock when he parked his motor cycle at the Squadron Mess and went inside to look at the glorious machine that he was supposed to fly at the break of the day light. The gleaming fighter plane was cold as it can be and the rookie pilot ran his fingers over its steel as if carving out his name. He was astonished when he reached the cockpit portion. He saw his initials gleaming on the plane’s body!! The Commanding Officer had got his name inscribed on the machine and christened it forever. The rookie’s chest filled with pride and he ran a prayer in his mind and doubled up his checks. Soon, the Squadron was bustling with activity as one after another the support staff and pilots started reporting for the morning sortie. The rookie sat erect in the morning briefing and it was a big day as the new bloke would be taking off on an independent mission with the rest of the Flyboys.

3.       The briefing was for a familiarization sortie which would test the efficiency of the Fighter Aircraft and the Squadron. All eyes were on the Rookie and the Commanding Officer that day. They not only had to prove themselves, but also the Aircraft. The twilight was just breaking out when the Pilots walked towards their machines and eased themselves into their cockpits. The rookie was in a fighter plane next to the Commanding Officer. He strapped himself up smartly as his helper secured his cockpit. At the raise of a thumb from his crew, he fired his plane’s engines. The machine came to power easily and vital parameters looked good. A nod from the Commanding Officer (CO) and the rookie rolled his fighter along with the CO‘s fighter on the runway. Soon they both were running on the tarmac in tandem and with one fine move were both airborne. The CO raised his thumb and the rookie nodded his head. It was a great moment of his life and the eyes behind Ray Bans were watching the action unfold.

4.       The fighter aircraft flew in formations and unison. They rolled and did verticals and soon they converged to pay their obeisance to the almighty Himalayas on their left. Time was now ripe for a safe landing. The CO ordered a close formation as all Pilots acknowledged the maiden independent flight of the rookie pilot and broke free for landing. The rookie had to land in the end. He saw all other pilots land safely and he came in for a approach. His CO had by then rolled in the aircraft and was still in the cockpit to monitor the rookie’s approach. He saw the rookie made the approach and this was the moment when disaster struck. A bird crossed the flight path and got sucked inside the hot engine. The fighter plane of the rookie went into an emergency mode and within no time the controls of the aircraft failed.

5.       The CO took charge of the situation and advised the rookie to parachute away from the damaged fighter plane. The rookie was wide awake and ran the ejection drill in his agile mind. His moment had come too soon and too fast. He did not contemplate and decided against ejecting with a parachute. The fighter was losing its power as the engine had shut down and his control systems were malfunctioning. He was within the visual approach of the airfield and started gliding down towards the airfield. The bewildered CO and ground team were amazed at his adventure. An emergency drill followed and the ground crew rigged up for an emergency landing. The struggling fighter aircraft landed with a damaged engine and failed controls as fire-fighters chased its landing. Engulfed in a fire fighting spray, the rookie pilot sat quietly as he throttled his plane till the last of the fuel was burnt on the ground. The cockpit was opened and he made his way to be given a warm embrace by his CO and colleagues. He had done what many could not have imagined. He had not deployed his parachute but taken on his guts to keep the parachute safe.

6.       A similar dilemma hits the human beings who are not fighter pilots as they get egged on to deploy their parachutes for a safe landing. The aircraft can be equated to a challenge that the humans face and many would conveniently ditch the challenge to take on an easier path offered by the parachute. After all, a parachute offers arresting a great thrust as it deploys its span. It opens up big and wide and hides the falling human against the vagaries of speed which engulf his platform. The chances are brightest for the human as he lands safely but not for his platform which crashes into oblivion and is gone forever. The rookie pilot decided against all odds and kept his wits under control. The radio kept on transmitting the orders to follow the correct procedures and it was his call not to deploy his parachute. He calculated his approach as he was inside the cockpit and watched his controls in front of him. The deployment of parachute was to be his final call and he did not take it as he wanted to get his machine down on to the tarmac in a safe shape. The rookie succeeded and against all odds. The humans also are alone in their respective cockpits when emergencies of life hit them and they have to take the call to land the machine or deploy the proverbial parachute.

7.       After all who are our parachutes? Not all of us are pilots who fly planes! Most of us are mortal humans and our lives are our flight paths. We hit birds on the way and cease our control systems as situations emerge on our respective flight paths. These are the trying times when humans deploy their parachutes without taking charge of their machines and mechanics. They let go their controls and crash their life and ease out onto parachutes. They do not realise where the parachutes will land them as wind takes charge the moment the parachute expands its span. In an enemy territory, the parachute dumps the pilot soon as it hits the ground and only lies limp. It also gives away his position with its bright colors. In a friendly boundary, it still takes time as the pilot reaches his way to safety of his base station.

8.       What would you like to do? Take a chance like the rookie pilot to attempt a difficult landing against all odds or launch your parachute when the situation starts unfolding? A fight against the odd should be a natural instinct of humans. No species give up on this planet without a fair fight against the odds. After all, we all know that dinosaurs disappeared as they could not put up a fight against the change that engulfed them. Did they open their parachute all too often?

9.       The conflict lies on our minds and nowhere else. Every battle is fought between the 5 inches between ears and the confusion or clarity emerges only in this zone. Keep the parachute wrapped up securely. The call to deploy the parachute should be a final call and when all the odds have dried up. Till the juices are flowing, it is worthwhile to attempt landing the fighter airplane called life and bring the packed parachute out safely.

10.     Get up, move on, strap up, the Sun is breaking out and the Squadron is ready for a takeoff. You are the rookie pilot today. Strap up your parachute for a safe landing with all your wit and strength. Keep the fight on for the next take off.   

  

THE GREAT GAME CALLED LIFE

The Golfer takes his stance for the Tee Shot. The shaft of the driver club sits softly in his fingers and knuckles get turned inside towards his eyes. He looks at the tree line in front which is his first hurdle and the red Sun which is fast coming up the latitudes to attain its daily glory. Aiming at the center of the Sun, he brings down the hitting line to the ball. The body arches slowly as the Driver club goes back to gain the angle. At the end of the back-swing, the Golfer pauses and his gaze is now firm at the ball resting on the tee. In one fine motion, the driver club begins its downward motion gaining velocity as it comes down ferociously and connects with the ball with a sweet sound and climbs upwards. The Golfer stretches his back into a gentle throw back as the shoulder move the Driver to its pinnacle. When he looks up, the ball has gained height over the tree line and is now a spot on the red Sun which has just attained an angle of 30 odd degrees. The ball sinks into the fairway greens and the Golfer begins his walk with a spring to meet the ball. Its a 5 par hole and he has 4 more shots in the fairway and green to achieve a Par. Next 3 shots see him landing on the Green and the ball is now sitting just 20 odd inches away from his well deserved Par. The rest 3 players of his 4-Ball also converge on the Green and are waiting for the Golfer to putt his ball and take away the hole. The Golfer now picks up his Putter club, goes right behind the ball to gauge the putting trajectory and takes his position. He is bang on top of the ball and only his forearms are now going to move the Putting club. The game is between the 5 inches of space between his ears. Time stops ticking, silence engulfs the green as other 3 players keenly watch the battle between the Golfer and the coveted hole. The Golfer rolls the ball with a deft touch. The ball rolls and travels the 20 odd inches into the right corner of the hole cup, circles the cup and moves out 6 inches out into the Green!!! The Golfer looks at up at the rising Sun. His silent prayer has not been heard and life has taken a full turn and his score stands at 1-over rather than a Good Par.

Similar to Golf, life and its operations also have similar predicaments for the human beings. The best of the plans can go haywire at the very last moment and at a stage where the human beings are just at an arm’s length away from the desired aim. Calm and quiet from outside, a big volcano however keeps erupting inside humans. The reasons are many and the most important one is the “Never Say Satisfied” attitude. Perfection is the only aim and very few understand the peak required to be climbed to call it the right perfection. Humans end up putting themselves into pressure spots. These pressure spots hit at regular intervals with varied degrees and lead to chemical instability inside the human machines. This eventually leads to operational malfunctioning of the human actions and thinking and thus begins the great game called life. The curves of human life continue to hit their troughs and peaks and actually are nothing but mere perceptions of human minds. Humans end up going on endless hunts and many ends up losers as they are never satisfied at the end result.

The hard realities of life dawns on every human being on this planet. It is a bare fact that no one can stay immune to developments in and around the bubble called life. The talent lies in humans who can achieve complete happiness in the complex maze that continues to engulf them. A balance has to be struck in the 5 inches of space between the ears. This space holds the key to human instincts, talents, calibre, guts and intelligence. Each folly and miracle originates from this sacred space between the human ears. A pat on the back or a kick on the back has different connotations. A good life manager stays calm in the exterior appearance and also retains composure in the interior chemistry. He understands the limitations of his team and does not get perturbed at occasional failures. Each failure brings in a new experience and a greater resolve to achieve success. A decision is well taken if it is taken with the desired end result in correct perspective. The perspective may not become a reality in the beginning but perseverance pays dividends at the end of the day. Life has got its swings and each part of the swing has got its own well deserved meaning.

The Golfer putted the ball to achieve a 1 –Over even when he was sitting close to a comfortable good Par. His caddie polished the ball and wished him luck on the remaining holes. The game was not yet lost. The remaining holes went like a breeze. There were fewer shots as the ball achieved correct trajectories from his irons and woods and the curves of the well manicured greens adhered to his calculations. He sank pars at will and blazed the game away from his opponents. The circling ball over the hole cup had not deterred his resolve to achieve the desired end result- A Good Par. The game was a clear winner and happiness of life prevailed in the end.

The end of the game of Golf at the 18^th Hole is the beginning of a new game the next day. The course called life can be wet with dew in the early mornings where the ball sinks into the wet soil or can offer a dry fairway in the afternoon where the ball jumps and gains distances with its spin and roll. This great game called life and its myriad operations need deft tackling with bare minimum intervention from the internal chemistry of the human body. Happiness must prevail and simple decisions must evolve out of complex issues. After all the complexities of life are human creations too!! Keep a big smile on, take a deep breath and let the first 30 seconds roll away- a new solution would surely emerge and bring a new perspective into the game. The tools do matter but not more than the human who is handling them. Keep the cool and stay calm to gain the edge in the Great Game Called Life.      

CHALLENGES OF LIFE- THE BOOSTERS FOR ADRENALIN RUSH

Challenges form the best part of human life. Challenges keep the human instinct alive and one of the key components of the active instinct is the hormone called Adrenaline. The pumping adrenaline causes rush inside the human body by activating the neuro-transmitters which in turn move the effector organs. An active adrenalin rush is known to cure many internal disorders and also can lead to anxiety attacks. All in all, challenges simulate the human adrenaline and keep the human body in correct health and shape if a little practice can be exercised to keep the anxiety at bay.

Human beings are taught to take on challenges from a young age. A toddler is challenged to capture his favourite ball. The toddler crawls and moves to capture the ball, throws it further ahead and again crawls to capture it. One fine day, the adrenalin rush pushes him to take the nascent steps and he starts his walk followed by a gentle run to capture the target. The gradual achievement of challenges keeps honing the skill sets of humans and they meet various stages of life with zeal and aplomb. The adrenalin has to pump to keep meeting the challenges of life and to surmount them with ease.

The Military Profession has a great deal of adrenalin rush. Military personnel go through many adrenalin rushes to meet their share of unexpected challenges. A composite training and cohesiveness helps them to meet even the most complicated challenges with relative ease. The beauty of challenges in Military life is their unpredictable nature and quantum. A soldier has to overcome his own anxiety and keep the adrenalin rush in control to meet the challenges for a common cause. In a singular or in a collective environment, each action has to be precise to fix it into the next action so that the end result can be achieved. Many of these challenges are achieved with a high cost and such costs are paid smilingly by the men in uniform. A question does arise- what makes them pay such high costs under such tough circumstances? It is the rush of the adrenaline and the desire to meet the challenge head on which keeps the soldiers going from one target to another.

It was a long outing for the Submarine. The boat had comfortably settled down into her patrol mode. The machineries were ticking well along with the critical sensors. The well oiled crew was ready to take on any challenge that emerged during the patrol. The boat was carrying out a difficult mission and life onboard a dived submarine depends unilaterally upon the actions of the men who are manning the various positions and operating the Submarine at any given time. One wrong action can lead to catastrophic effects and the chain of events can reach irreversible positions within no time.

The various operators at various positions were up and about and keeping a sharp eye on their control equipments. Along with the missions, the boats also carry out the training for the new crews. Operations and training go side by side and the best place to train is sea where live situations can be simulated. It was one such day when the simulated training on Submarine Signal Ejector (SSE) was to be carried out. SSEs are pyrotechnics which are ejected out of the Submarines to indicate various states of the dived boats.

The training Officer for the day moved into my compartment for carrying out the training. After regular permissions, we isolated the Compartment from both the ends and now we were like a small capsule inside the big capsule. The simulated training began and I slipped into a high position from where the Main Propulsion Motor (a 50 ton+ heavy duty motor) is controlled. The various crew members were alert and held on to our positions as training continued. The new crew members were getting familiarised with the nuances of the SSE, when Mr Murphy raised his head inside the Compartment and wanted to check our adrenalin rush. The SSE suddenly slipped from a new hand and fell on the Submarine’s deck with a thud. The resultant shock fired the pyrotechnics of the SSE and it took off in all possible directions as its powder started burning. It was a read color ejector and within no time it was painting my compartment red.

With the first thud itself, my mind had started its adrenalin rush. I sounded the emergency stations, put the inter compartment communication system into active mode with a quick emergency dialogue command, moved the main propulsion motor telegraph into extreme full ahead mode to gather maximum speed for submarine to enable breaking the eater surface in the shortest time and grabbed a water bottle to wet a piece of cloth. The red color was thickening up and I shouted orders for everyone inside the compartment to put wet cloth on their nose. The SSE was by now red hot and smashing with all its might in the narrow compartment and burning out its powder. The adrenalin rush had taken better of the crew members fighting this emergency. The red color had started burning our eyes and was choking our nostrils. Suddenly, the SSE was waylaid by a daredevil young man. He held it firmly under his feet even as the heat burnt through his footwear and he sustained minor burns.

Control Room had taken charge of the Submarine’s motion and soon the boat broke the surface. Our compartment was isolated and had to be ventilated thoroughly to make it clear of the red smoke. The wet cloth pieces kept us going during the emergency even as our eyes burnt from the smoke effect. A quick appreciation of the situation and a whiff of fresh air on sea surface were administered to the effected crew. Soon, the boat had again dived to chilling depths and the mission continued. The rush of the adrenaline had guided us to meet a big emergency with ease and with only one injury. The challenge was unexpected but the actions of each and every soldier were perfect to quell the imminent danger. The de-brief reflected positive alacrity in a compounding situation. The focused approach in an adrenalin rush situation saved the day and certified the trained crew.

Adrenalin has to be pumped in a controlled fashion to meet the myriad challenges of life. This rush keeps the mind and heart young, strong and ready. Age is big factor for humans and with each passing year, the advancing skill sets help to control the adrenalin rush to the required limits. Experience comes from meeting challenges and challenges never end. Each challenge fine tunes the experiences and helps humans to brace up for newer challenges. Activate your rush and keep the tap controlled to meet the challenge with a cool mind and a steady heart. Keep the good habit of practice going on as it is never too late to take the lead in a new challenge. Dynamism demands adrenalin rush and let the rush begin.

RELIABILITY-THE KEY TO SUCESS

Two things surely depend a lot on the factors of reliability on our planet- Human Beings and Machines. A blend of statistics and evaluations also supports these two entities as they go about making this planet and various Nations into what they are at any respective moment their existence. The singular reliability of an entity compounds as various similar dots connect into a global matrix. Each stage of existence merits new courses and corrections to maintain the reliability at its premium best.

Reliability has become a premium quality and gets analysed through various tools and mechanisms. Its values are then used to gauge the futuristic performance parameters. Reliability matrices are supposed to ensure compliance. However this is where the floor hits the ceiling. Both the human beings and the machines need simple procedures to ensure their reliability. The complex procedures and tools are not easy to understand for many humans and put them into the black holes of complex jargons. Eventually, machines also depend upon humans to deliver their reliability and this ensures the overall reliability of the human beings. It is a simple maze which keeps on getting complex as the levels of inter-dependence increase.

As humans, we are taught to deliver with reliability right from a young age. The first day at school ignites the variables of delivery of human reliability. Slowly, the young child starts his journey and gets accustomed to various tools and machines which also deliver their part of reliability to ensure the performance of the user. With the passage of time, the mechanical devices are joined by the electronics devices and the reliability matrix starts taking its complex shape. This is the point where the humans start developing their skill sets using education, experience and attitude. Soon they are into their adult stage where they have an option of going full steam ahead with their generated/developed talents and traits.

The complexity of the life does leave its marks as humans and machines at times struggle to get their designated reliability. A little support at this stage for the humans and regular maintenance for the machines can make the relevant differences into their performance characteristics. The phases of life create occasional turmoil and need support to regain the planned course. The channels of receiving the support are not limited but have a vast and dynamic canvas in today’s excitingly digitally connected world. The right support at the right time brings the reliability back into the business and both the human beings and machines can get back to the designated track.

The professional networks are one of the prime sources of the support for human beings undergoing through the transition to re-establish their reliability patterns. These tools permit the wide travel of human profiles across oceans and borders. The networks have become an important part of human lives and even existence. Profiles are moving in all possible directions at the click of a mouse. The reliable humans do end up losing their established grounds to move on with the vagaries of their professional and personal lives. The pattern of reliability comes to a standstill and needs a favourable guidance to move the reliability to a new dimension. The pattern then starts adding dots on the new path and the humans can continue to deliver their reliability. A reliable human can take charge of a machine/mechanism and ensure its reliability.

The professional networks and portals have to assume the role of backbones of ensuring the reliability of human beings. The human profiles on networks offer a first hard glimpse into the psychometrics and can become the starting point for re-orientation of the delivery of the reliability. A little hand holding and a gentle professional push by the supporting humans can help the individual to recover and move onto a new path from the transition phase. As Abraham Lincoln had once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Likewise, the transitions do not come all of a sudden in professional lives. The patterns are clearly visible. Extensive working on professional networks and portals is like sharpening the axe. The axe has then two hours to deliver the result coupled with firm and correct strokes from the human who has to re-establish his reliability.

Humans and machines both need support to re-claim their reliability. All of us can assume the role of Santa Claus for at least one human being and ensure the transitions. Do you have it in you?

THE GOOD PIEDPIPER

Martha came out into the early morning Sun and scanned the vast swathe of land that lay ahead. The day was bright and the winter tinge had set into the atmosphere. Martha knew that a lot of work had to be done to meet the challenge of surviving through the winter. She had the onerous responsibility of setting up the food reserves for the harsh winter that was lurking around the corner. Martha led a diligent work force and was under orders to stock up her Ant Colony to meet the formidable weather change.

Marshaling her resources and team, Martha set the pace in search of the food. Foraging ants travel distances of up to 200 meters (700 ft) from their nest and scent trails allow them to find their way back even in the dark. Distances traveled are measured using an internal pedometer that keeps count of the steps taken and also by evaluating the movement of objects in their visual field (optical flow). Directions are measured using the position of the sun. They integrate this information to find the shortest route back to their Colony. Martha led her team of workers and soldiers and moved fast but cautiously. She well understood that, a group of foragers who become separated from the main column sometimes may turn back on themselves and form a circular ant mill. The workers may then run around continuously until they die of exhaustion. She had to avoid any such happening and had to get back the day’s load back to the storage section of the Colony.

The scent of the food had hit the nostrils of the moving ant column and they walked at a brisk pace. Soon the Colony dipped out of their sight and the navigation schemes were being put to use by Martha and her deputies. The soldier ants were accompanying the marching column to defend their workers. The scent trail soon hit a high wall and Martha had a challenge at hand. A quick runner ant was dispatched in alternate directions to discover the new way even as Martha gauged the climbing challenge. The runners came back after a while and reported water bodies along the route. The option of circumventing the wall could not be exercised by the long column. The long marching column full of bubbling workers had to be kept disciplined and in order till the decision could be made.

Martha knew that the time was running out and the mission had to be completed. Raising her long antenna, she started a climb up the wall and set course for a new trail. Digging her powerful legs into the craters and crevices of the high rise wall, Martha led the way and the ant column started to climb. The wind gusts took charge of the column at the half way mark and many a soldiers and workers flew off the wall only to join the queue again at the bottom. Leading strongly, Martha continued the climb and soon was standing at the top of the wall and marshaled her followers. The team was now laying a new scent trail. The column moved down the wall and soon enough, each worker had a big load of grain and they were turning back towards the Colony. The Sun had reached its zenith and clouds were building up in the sky.

Martha and her team knew that they had to cover the distance back to colony at a brisk pace and there was no time to rest. One after the other, the column kept its march back on the scent trail left behind during the approach march. The tough wall again loomed ahead and the strong workers mounted it with ease. Those who fell back again joined the column and dug in their legs strongly to cater for their grain’s weight. The first drops of rain had started hitting the ground when the ant hill was sighted by the column and the entire marching contingent disappeared inside their safe haven. The work was far from over. Inside the colony, the food stocks were being stored in an orderly fashion. Each team member put their load in the designated place and Martha’s mission was a success. Martha was a worker ant. She had spent the first few days of her adult life caring for the queen and young. She then graduated to digging and other nest work, and later to defending the nest and foraging. These changes are sometimes fairly sudden, and define what are called temporal castes. An explanation for the sequence is suggested by the high casualties involved in foraging, making it an acceptable risk only for ants that are older and are likely to die soon of natural causes. She had led her foraging mission and completed it successfully. She could now rest and if life permitted, lead another forage mission in search of food. She had proved to be an efficient Piedpiper. Her followers had followed her on a designated mission and she had brought them back safely to their haven.  

Martha’s life was full of hard work, guts, zeal and courage. Similar is the life span of humans. The only difference is that Martha did not work for her own progeny. She was born and lived as a worker for the entire colony. Humans also end up doing something similar in their entire life span. They are trained, taught and brought up to meet the myriad of challenges during their life spans. They follow their various leaders and follow the scent trails. Someday they become leaders in their own rights and take charge of their life’s situations. Each human at some stage of life becomes a Martha and has the same dilemmas. The trails lead up to high wall bottoms whilst the target is on the other side. The courses to the right and left of the wall are neither clear nor easy to navigate. The only option is to climb the wall. The day starts ticking by and the straight wall has to be surmounted. A careful look at the wall would reveal small crevices and craters. The climb must begin with firm grip and equal disposition of weight onto the stretched limbs. The gusts of wind test the mettle of the climber even as the body starts aching through its joints and skin. The level of difficulty keeps increasing as gravity pulls though the distance to the top starts reducing with every small step. Soon enough the climber hits the top of the wall and the huge target stand clear in front of his eyes. From there on, it is a climb down the wall and a rush to bag the target.

Many a humans take the plunge to climb the wall and fall backwards. They are not as fortunate as ants to get up and join the climbing column. Humans, most of the times, are alone when they meet such walls. Their agony and pains are theirs alone. The hurt, the agony, the injuries and the wounds only ache their own minds and bodies. The journey, at times, gets bitter and lonely. However, each climber achieves some success in his endeavor. The fire to meet the challenges of life brings in results.

Along the walls of difficulty connections are made with other climbers. Looking at the adjacent climber’s fighter spirit pumps up the resolve. The road less traveled suddenly starts looking a lot brighter as human dots start to move together on their designated missions. Each climber becomes a Piedpiper for the other and this cycle continues. The ones who reach the top of the wall meet their missions and the ones who get blown away during the climb must get back to the climb. Efforts pay dividends and after all it is the dividends which bring forth the challenges.

Each failure is a challenge which has to be accepted afresh. The mistakes of the past need minor corrections to set the course straight. The job of a good Piedpiper is not easy and this role has to be played by each and every human being. Struggles and pains are a part of the good Piedpiper’s life and the efforts pay their rewards eventually.