This morning I finished my meditation just as the day's first light arrived at my desk. August 3rd. The date is very significant to me. On this date, 29 years ago, many of my friends and colleagues walked away from their jobs. They did it in an effort to improve pay and working conditions in the field of air traffic control. Although I was a member of the union I decided not to go on strike. It was my personal belief that certain responsibilities have to be met. I would not expect the FBI to ever go out on strike. The Coast Guard or the Marine Corp should never go out on strike; and neither should air traffic controllers. There are ways other than withholding critical services to improve one's lot in life. I went to work that August 3rd; and in the process I lost a number of friends or people who I thought were friends. They said I let them down by not laying down my headset and abandoning my radar scope. Maybe I did let them down. But I and the 18% of controllers who stayed on the job did not let you down. There were a few delays in some areas, but commerce, medical supplies, the mail, bank documents, technicians, engineers, business people, and students continued to travel throughout the country. The military was able to safely protect our skies. And no one was left stranded while on vacation or while attending weddings or funerals. As to the pay and working conditions that were in so much contention; of course I could use more money, that way I could afford to put a water-maker on the yacht that is docked behind my house, which was financed entirely by the pay that I wish I had more of. The poor working conditions were, to me, a matter of perspective. There are no critical jobs that have ideal conditions. I felt that after smoking was banned inside the building, working conditions weren't all that bad... but that's just me. From my worldview, the air traffic job was indoor work with no heavy lifting. Poor conditions or not, my job was one of great satisfaction because of its unparalleled importance to you, to me, and to everyone. We all depend upon aviation. Even those who have never been on airplane have had their lives touched in some way by air travel. So this morning when I saw the first rays of the sun shine only on my copper cup, I thought to myself, ‘That is odd’. I picked up the cup and read the inscription. On one side it read "8-3-82" on the other side "RO". "RO" were the operating initials I used as an air traffic controller. "8-3-82" was the one year anniversary of our struggle to keep the air traffic system alive. The cup was given to me by a grateful supervisor, Jay Carter. Jay and I have lost track of each other over the years, but we have been through a lot together. This cup and the sun’s first light helped remind me of the friends I did not lose on this day 29 years ago.