Getting a Message to Garcia
This posting comes from the Classic Book “A Message to Garcia” by Elbert Hubbard.
This story is over 100 years old now and for those that have read it have learned and understood the value of this message. It is a simple message of hard work, dependability and integrity. It is a story of how something so complex was handled so simply and yet it was not an easy task.
A story that takes place during the American War with Spain around the turn of the Century. The President of the United States needed to communicate with a key leader of the insurgents in Cuba. A man by the name of Garcia. No one was sure where he was but he was there somewhere in the mountain vastness of Cuba. No mail, no telegraph, no cell phones…no nothing, and yet everything. The President was informed by his team that there was one man that could do the job. Lt. Andrew Rowan was his name. Lt. Rowan reported to the President and was given the letter to be delivered. 4 days later he was in Cuba and 3 weeks after that he emerged on the other side of the Island having been through the worst of what Cuba had to offer. Mission Accomplished! Letter delivered!
Now by now you are asking yourself…Rowan took the letter and Did NOT ask one question…not a one! I ask you in today’s society if you were to ask someone say like your employee to do the same would he or she do so without asking a question? Would they not comment “that’s not my job” or “why isn’t so and so doing this” or even “is there a hurry”. I think you get the point. Is it any small wonder why this very story was translated into many, many languages and was considered so valuable then and today?
I challenge you to go and get a copy of this story and have a good read. After that, I challenge you and those around you to go out and get a “Message to Garcia”
How about telling of your experiences in life when it comes to the track of this story.
Peace. BB