Sink or swim

When the chips are down and we're stuck between a rock and a hard place in a situation that separates the men from the boys, who will step up to the plate and take one for the team?

Scratch that. In some situations, cliches simply don't help. The question at hand is this: under what circumstances am I willing to make a significant sacrifice? I would give up my place in line at the grocery store to an exhausted mom shopping with three screaming brats and I would give up a kidney to save the life of someone I love, but what about situations that fall between the two extremes?

I am willing to make sacrifices

• that benefit people I care about
• to achieve goals I believe in
• to follow leaders I trust
• to work together with others toward a common goal.

The more of these conditions are present, the larger the sacrifice I'm willing to make; likewise, my willingness to sacrifice diminishes with each bullet-point that's missing. And if the sacrifice is not voluntary but forced--well, that just makes it feel like punishment.

Which is why no one celebrates a salary freeze.

But at least we're all in the same boat.

With the water rising and boulders in the way.

Heading straight for a waterfall.