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THINKING OUT OF THE BOX
"A new idea is first condemned as ridiculous, and then dismissed as trivial, until finally it becomes what everybody knows." - William James
One of the great war films of all time was made in the '50's, "Away All Boats", starring Jeff Chandler. It chronicles the adventures of a fictional APA (Amphibious Assault Ship, forerunner of today's LHA'a), USS BELINDA, fighting its way across the Pacific. The ship's skipper, Captain Jebediah Hawkes, is a seasoned veteran, a good guy, but not liked by the crew. They don't understand many of his methods and think he's aloof. In fact, his methods are genuinely innovative, and ultimately every one of his strategies saves the ship from disaster.
Then comes the Battle of Okinawa. BELINDA is struck by Kamikaze's. Many sailors are killed and the ship is dead in the water, no propulsion, with large gaping holes below the water-line. Captain Hawkes is mortally wounded and unconscious. The crew must figure out what to do on their own. They start to argue; one says we should do this, the other says, you're crazy, we must do that. Meanwhile, more Kamikaze's are headed their way.
Captain Hawkes hears the arguing through an open porthole in his stateroom, and with his last ounce of strength drags himself off the bed, to the bridge. He cries out to the startled officers with his last breath: "The children lead the mother, the children lead the mother!" He collapses and dies. The crew tries to figure out what he meant, and then they realize..."The children lead the mother!" Captain Hawkes was telling them to lower the landing craft into the water and have them tow the ship to safe waters! They quickly did this and saved the ship!
Captain Hawkes was at first shunned by the crew because they couldn't understand his novel way of doing business. Today we'd call him an "out-of-the-box thinker." We should always be on the lookout for new and better ways of doing things. Much of humanity's progress is a result of people who were not satisfied with the status quo and found novel and better ways to improve life for everyone.
God Bless & Stay Great!
Chaplain Mitch Schranz
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