John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, is the latest apologist for his role as an anonymous Internet user who posted negative messages about competitor Wild Oats on financial stock forums. It may seem like a MySpace prank at first — an impulsive action from a high schooler who didn't get a prom date — but Mackey routinely posted on these message boards for eight years.

Mackey's actions were certainly opaque, and his apology seems to represent transparency. But with a recent wave of public "sorries" from visible figures — Paris Hilton, David Neeleman, Don Imus, Mel Gibson and a growing list of politicians — these megawatt mea culpas may no longer suffice. In many cases, the apology seems less about reprehensible actions and more about "I'm sorry I got caught."

While the antics of drunken celebrities, corrupt politicians and greedy corporate executives (Enron, Tyco, etc.) may not surprise us — and may sometimes be expected — Mackey's actions are more disappointing. Whole Foods, like Neeleman's JetBlue, are supposed to be the good guys — socially conscious, friendly, customer-centric companies that care about their employees, the earth and doing what's right.

They both issued very public apologies, but Neeleman's and Mackey's downfalls are decidedly different. The former faced a customer service debacle while the latter deliberately deceived stakeholders; Neeleman absorbed the blame for issues where he may not have been directly responsible and Mackey's consistently poor judgment put his company and — especially its brand — in jeopardy.

There are many lessons in Mackey's story: the myth of Internet anonymity, the economic influence of user-generated content, managing bad PR and repairing brand reputation, the psychology of forgiveness, etc.
But the most important is about the interrelationship between leadership and trust.

The people who have fought and died and who are fighting and dying for our freedom to choose life are asking us to “make our life count” “earn it” in other words produce. With “Saving Private Ryan” coming out before 9/11 many people I think have forgotten its message. Now we are in our generations World War and we need to earn their respect, being worthy of their sacrifice for giving the “last full measure of their life” by making our life count. We don’t make our life count; by destructive protesting, spewing hate towards others, being selfish and parasitic with others, breaking vows made, to breaking trust with others. Instead we need to be living a life of respecting, honoring, serving, showing kindness toward others, creating life, creating new things to help others by starting the chain reaction of the same that was bought by the sacrifice of so many of our brightest and best.

Our “earning it” is being a difference in our Communities, Country and in the World by being a stakeholders with those things that help by; working along side Churches that are serving others, Organizations that go with that cup of cold water to those in need, write that letter or email to the lonely soldier, their families, to others in need of an hopeful word. Make your life count by stopping and seeing, listing and doing! When we are nearing the end of our life, will we hear from our heritage (kids and grandkids) that we made the sacrifice of our soldiers worth it?

Make a Difference Organizations: Operation Band Aid - operationbandaid@yahoo.com , Compassion International , Rachel’s Challenge, Water For People, Globus Relief, World Relief, Doctors for the World, Make a Wish Foundation, Salvation Army, local aide groups and the list goes on. These organizations are worth looking into and listening how you can help make others count and that makes your life count.

Yogi Berra said “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else”. Thomas Leonard said “Stop looking for direction….just get on a path” and I’m often quoted as saying “If you’re so focused on your end destination you’ll miss life’s real adventure along the way.” Some are so determined to get from point ‘A’ to point ‘Z’ they miss everything in the meantime…everything that unfolds in the process which might just take them on a better path instead.

Use, for a moment, the analogy of a person going for a power walk or walk to get exercise….watch them as they focus so intently on how far they walk, their pace, their body movements to make sure they get the most benefit from this exercise. If you watch their facial expressions, and head movements they’re looking straight forward for markers so they know how far they’ve gone, often glance at their watch to see how good a time they’re making and with their latest 3,000 I'tunes blaring from their $150.00 - sound-cancelling ear buds. They’re on auto-pilot, walking for a purpose but most of the time not noticing anything along the way. They’re not letting the world in, rather they’re in isolation from the world as they achieve their purpose, but not grow in the interim.

Do you find yourself so focused on finishing tasks, projects, getting from A to B that you miss so much along the way and finish without that sense of achievement? The reason why is you’re working towards a deadline not much else. In that case you’re not defining your direction you’re letting the path define it.

What if you took the time for conscious reflective thought to see the intention of what you’re doing, how it would make you evolve or not and in the scheme of things, what it means in your life to do what you’re doing?

And if you’re not happy with the answers you’re getting, ask what’s missing not what’s wrong with my life? If you are truly open to what is missing... you might just start on one of the best rides of your life!

"Freedom know this, that every man/woman is free To choose his life and what he'll be. For this eternal truth is given, God will force no man to heaven. He'll call, persuade, direct aright, Bless with wisdom, love, and light; In nameless ways be good and kind, But never force the human mind."~ William C. Clegg

Also, focus on Hope's eternal companion: FREEDOM.

In America, we have awesome power. We are free to hope and try... and to fail and succeed.

Use your freedom as if your very life depends on it... IT DOES!