"Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism." ~Abraham Lincoln
I was speaking with a colleague who volunteers a great deal of her time to her community, her state respiratory therapy society, and the AARC. We were discussing her participation in a rather large volunteer project and I remarked, considering her other volunteer activities and her more-than-full-time job, that I was surprised that she had the time to commit. Without hesitation, she read me the quote above.
When I think about the respiratory therapists who dedicate their lives to their patients, their profession, their colleagues, and their professional society, I visualize this quote brought to life. I see the many faces of respiratory therapists working around the clock to restore wellness, tirelessly promoting the profession in the political arena, and valiantly developing quality educational activities for their colleagues. I see respiratory therapists mentoring new graduates, teaching students, and striving in a variety of ways to make our patient care more effective. I see respiratory therapists who are committed to all aspects of being a respiratory therapist.
United, our commitment does have "the power to change the face of things."