Action

Definition -
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ac·tion   [ak-shuhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. the process or state of acting or of being active: The machine is not in action now.
2. something done or performed; act; deed.
3. an act that one consciously wills and that may be characterized by physical or mental activity: a crisis that demands action instead of debate; hoping for constructive action by the landlord.
4. actions, habitual or usual acts; conduct: He is responsible for his actions.
5. energetic activity: a man of action.
6. an exertion of power or force: the action of wind upon a ship's sails.
7. effect or influence: the action of morphine.
8. Physiology. a change in organs, tissues, or cells leading to performance of a function, as in muscular contraction.
9. way or manner of moving: the action of a machine or of a horse.
10. the mechanism by which something is operated, as that of a gun or a piano.
11. a military encounter or engagement; battle, skirmish, or the like.
12. actual engagement in fighting an enemy; military or naval combat: He saw action in Vietnam.
13. Literature. the main subject or story, as distinguished from an incidental episode.
14. Theater.
a. an event or series of events that form part of a dramatic plot: the action of a scene.
b. one of the three unities. Compare unity (def. 8).
15. the gestures or deportment of an actor or speaker.
16. Fine Arts. the appearance of animation, movement, or emotion given to figures by their attitude, position, or expression.
17. Law.
a. a proceeding instituted by one party against another.
b. the right of bringing it.
18. Slang.
a. interesting or exciting activity, often of an illicit nature: He gave us some tips on where the action was.
b. gambling or the excitement of gambling: The casino usually offers plenty of action.
c. money bet in gambling, esp. illegally.
19. Ecclesiastical.
a. a religious ceremony, esp. a Eucharistic service.
b. the canon of the Mass.
c. those parts of a service of worship in which the congregation participates.

While I specifically mean a combination of numbers three, five and six, there are numerous meanings of the word, Action.

Information is not useful until it is acted upon and experience is gained by that action.  Knowing about something is information.  Much of what is called education is received information until it is acted upon and experience gained... And the experience is is retained for future or continuous effort.

What good would it be if we knew about IED's and did nothing to find, eliminate or avoid them?... What if we never acted upon the information of their methods, power and locations but just kept on driving our vehicles on those same roads where we had received information that IED's were planted and lying in wait for the next vehicle or convoy?  That sounds ludicrous does it not?... Yet there are people who receive information everyday and do not act upon that information to learn from it or learn by it.

When citizens view the situations our Peace Keepers face in Iraq and upon the streets here at home they wonder what it is that they are missing???  Why are the Peace Keepers dying and being wounded?  It is obvious there is some one or more pieces of information that the citizen is not aware of.  Those of us who are involved in peace keeping are well aware that there is information that is not common knowledge within the populace.  We look and we see but we know that what we are hearing is not the full story.  What is lacking in this dissemination of information is the experience that identifies how it works and why it works... Or why it fails... And the knowledge of how it works is available only to those who pay the price of receiving the information... Acting upon the information... Gaining experience... And retaining the experience... This process becomes knowledge because of one ingredient added by the one who nows has the knowledge... That ingredient is action.

A novice can become an expert if given the right information, right tools and opportunity for acting upon that which he has received... Providing that he keeps on with the action called practice until he has reached his peak performance...

For many varied reasons many who receive information do not always become experts in the use of the information because they are not in the right place to use it... Do not have the right tools to use it... Do not have the attitude to use it... And do not have any connection with anyone who does have the ingredients.

Even among us who are Peace Keepers there are those who progress to a certain level and the action slows down... The action may not stop completely but it definitely slows down...  This happens for about as many reasons as there are people.  With many of them it is simply too much work to keep applying more action... These have reached the point where more action is not desirable to them... Keeping sharp on education and application is too much work.  Honing and retaining the highest degree of skills is just too much work... Getting by has become acceptable.  This is dangerous!

Sometimes this happens because the body and mind is just too tired to put out enough action to change anything.  Getting by is all they are capable of doing.  I have known Peace Keepers who were in this condition.  Sometimes this condition strikes me.  Sometimes this condition strikes too often. This condition is cause by overload on the human organism for too long a period of time.

Troops on the battlefield experience this if the demand goes on for too long a period of time without sufficient food, rest and recuperation.  Those among us who are zealous can sometimes get away with being under too much load for longer periods than others can... But unless we learn good practices of eating properly, resting properly and taking time to regenerate properly, even the most zealous will become weary and performance will be adversely affected.

A reader wrote me last week that I should take a leave of absence and concentrate on my daughter's health and recovery.  In an ideal situation that would be wise to do.  I am not in an ideal situation.  I work the part-time job as a traffic safety officer because there is need for income to pay medical bills that must be paid to continue her treatment.  If bills are not paid then treatment stops.  If treatment is not available that would leave her in a most uncomfortable and painful condition and I would not be able to do all that she needs to have done for without the right medication that she is on for other conditions  bedsides the wound infection I would not be able to maintain her.

We are in the process of trying to convince the surgeon and infectious disease doctors to install a central line with connection ports so that we can get her back on the IV antibiotics that were working so well before the PIC lines failed.  We are scheduled for a CT scan on Monday to check the infected hip again for without the IV antibiotics the deeply embedded pocket of infection is acting up again and she can hardly walk because of the deep pain in the hip.  I know that the central line can be dangerous but I was able to keep one clean and functioning well on my dear wife for a full year when the doctor expected it to fail in six months or less.  Experience has taught much to she and I and experience says if she is going to recover then this route must be taken.  We have been here before in the past with other wound infections and it was the only thing that brought relief and healing... So I am frequently calling upon the surgeon who is in charge of her care to listen to she and I and do certain things... And I will continue the action for as long as she and I are alive until I get results.

Action is doing what you know to do... Action is learning any new thing that you do not know so that you may improve and be more successful in your peace keeping efforts...
Action is letting go of old ways of doing things that are comfortable to learn new ways that are more effective...  Action is keeping at it until you can get better results with the same amount of effort... Action is the key to all success in peace keeping.  Action is the key to success in life.

Action - an act that one consciously wills and that may be characterized by physical or mental activity:  energetic activity:  an exertion of power or force:  All directed toward a specific purpose of gaining information about that which is your goal in life... Absorbing and then applying that information to gain experience, knowledge and wisdom... Wisdom is the ability to use what you know to the best degree of achievement.

Sharp, experienced lives making use of all of these attributes make us useful and successful beyond imagination... And directed action is the key!

I have shared this with you because I have looked back over my long career and noted some important facts... Action was the key to my life, my attitude and my success in the realm of peace keeping, engineering and ministry in the spiritual field.  I saw that I lacked what I needed... I would never be the best that I could be as long as I lacked what I needed... I set out to find the sources of all that would help me and improve me... Part of the search led me to many new ways to do old things in engineering saving me time and gaining faster results with greater accuracy... Part of the search was to get into and become a vital part of law enforcement and peace keeping... That led me to another search being fulfilled, a search I had begun at the age of seven...  That search was for connection to the spiritual realm...  When that search was fulfilled it became only the beginning of forty years of adventure in the gaining of information, experience, knowledge and wisdom... Which also put me deeper into peace keeping and the excitement of being a small part along with all of you who are Peace Keepers.  WOW!
What a trip it has been for this backwoods boy from poverty who had no advantage going for him but action, curiosity and being willing to learn new things.  I learned that if you can dream it and be committed to it, you can achieve it.

I am simply one among all of you... But I am one!  I decided to see how far faith and action would carry a man in these modern times.  I have not been disappointed, for by my life and application of what I learned and did I have come to know many of you and been part of the greatest group of men and women alive today. 

THANK YOU PEACE KEEPERS!  Eternally THANK YOU!  My Commander-In-Chief and I do so deeply appreciate you and your service.  Thank you for who you are; for what you have done; for what you are doing; and for what you are yet going to do.  Be teachable and keep learning and doing... Action!

"BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!"  Perpetually be alert, watchful, suspicious and wary.  Take the very best care of you as you care for and about others.  Be especially attentive to your spiritual life for it must be strong for you to survive and be successful.

Call or write if I may ever be of any service to you.

As it has always been... So it still is...
"VICTORIOUS WARRIORS WIN FIRST...
AND THEN GO TO WAR,
WHILE DEFEATED WARRIORS GO TO WAR FIRST...
AND THEN SEEK TO WIN."  Sun tzu

ONLY LIVE PEACE KEEPERS SEE THE VICTORY!!!
THEY SEE IT ONLY BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE MADE THEIR ETERNAL
PAYMENTS OF SWEAT, BLOOD, TEARS AND LIFE FOR THAT VICTORY!

WITH THE DEEPEST OF APPRECIATION AND RESPECT...
BE BLESSED (A CONDITION TO BE ENVIED)...
BE SUCCESSFUL... BE SAFE...
[My injunction to be safe means doing all you know to do as you do your job... it means
doing the best you can with what you have where you are using all your faculties to get
the job done well and with good results conquering evil and keeping or restoring peace...
it does not mean to avoid duty and honor... it does not mean to cower or allow anything
to hinder you in the process of duty according to rules, law and ethics...  it means that if
the demand takes your earthly life you destroy as much evil as possible in the process. 
That is my definition of being safe... doing the best you can and leaving the rest to God
or whomever else is responsible... being best employed for the sake and protection of all
the things and people that we hold dear.]

I represent, write for... and give the credit to:
God the Father (my Commander-in-Chief),
Jesus Christ the Son (the Eternal Captain of my life) and
the Holy Spirit of God (my Eternal Teacher, Keeper and Guide).
In Christ I live... with Him and for you I serve...
And I rejoice that you are there whether you are Christian or not...
D. R. (Don) Staton, Chaplain to Peace Keepers,
Surviving Peace Keeper,
Virginia State Police Alumni,
RETIRED Police Officer Virginia Beach Police Dept.,
DCJS Certified Police Instructor,
Community Service Officer (Traffic Safety)
757-431-2190, chpln1@verizon.net
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
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