“People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.” ~Edmund Hillary
This quote is an awesome reminder of the can-do spirit that runs throughout DHS and each of you, who—day in and day out—do your jobs to the best of your abilities. Not for the fame, and certainly not for the fortune, but with an intent and purpose to serve and protect our Nation. The extraordinary things you do when you save a child from the depths of the desert or being trafficked, or rebuild a community destroyed by wildfires, ensure our skies and seas are free from terrorists, help a refugee, eliminate financial fraud, enhance our cyber posture, or train our next generation of law enforcement officers, to name just a few, are all done with honor and pride.
You further live extraordinary lives by giving back to communities through charity drives, coaching baseball teams, mentoring at-risk youth, and lending a helping hand to schools, elderly neighbors, and homeless animals. And then, when you come home at the end of a long day, or turn off your computer and walk away from the “office,” you still find time to be an extraordinary Mom, Dad, son, daughter, sister, brother, and friend. You read to your children, call your Mom to say hello, send a special little gift to a friend who is lonely, and help your brother with a dilemma. You see, being extraordinary doesn’t mean you have to move mountains…it just means you care enough to do your best to make someone else’s life better, no matter how small the gesture.
Here's to an extraordinary life!