Steps That Lead Somewhere

Some stories live in old buildings.
Others drift through memory, art, or the quiet courage of character.

From time to time, I like walking a little further down Main Street—

not away from preservation,
but deeper into the spirit of what’s worth saving.

You know by now that I am always reading. This time, it’s about General George C. Marshall (December 31, 1880 – October 16, 1959)

Marshall, in a time of global crisis, shaped the Allied victory in World War II with calm authority and iron discipline.

Among many things, he served as chief of staff from 1939 to 1945. A diplomat, he acted as secretary of state from 1947 to 1949 under President Harry Truman.

With the help of others, he formulated the Marshall Plan, an unprecedented program of economic and military aid to foreign nations.

.He was the kind of man a nation leans on. The kind who lifts the world by holding firm to principle. He didn’t posture, didn’t preen, and didn’t pander.

Marshall has become one of my heroes. I’ve added this latest read to others about him. I find myself returning to his steady presence and the example he set when the world needed level heads and hard truths.

Now consider this: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Cory Booker recently staged a sit-in on the Capitol steps.

Cameras rolling, statements rehearsed, hashtags at the ready. They called it a “moment of moral urgency.”

I can’t help wondering what exactly they were urging. Were they solving something? Leading someone? Risking anything?

Or were they simply performing for a media culture that confuses theatrics for courage?

This is not about one party or another. It’s about a loss of seriousness. Marshall’s life was a blueprint of restraint, responsibility, and resolve. Today’s politics too often rewards the opposite.

The photo op replaces the policy. The soundbite overtakes the solution. And as the cameras flash, the real problems go unaddressed.

We are in need of men and women who, like Marshall, understand that leadership doesn’t mean throwing the ‘F’ word around, ranting and raving, or mistaking bluster for bravery.

I’m certain that the success of Rocky Mount’s future requires a George Marshall kind of leadership—

principled, unselfish, grounded in service over spotlight.

In the noise of today, it’s worth listening for the footsteps that still echo—steady, unshaken, and true. Leadership isn’t found on the steps of a building; it’s in the weight you carry when no one’s watching.

FYI: On the blog itself, if the format of this post looks different to you—more spacing, shorter paragraphs—it’s because most of you are now reading this blog on your phones.

I’m working to make these posts easier to read in the moments you carve out between the busyness of your day.

Thank you for walking further down Main Street with me today. See you again on Sunday.

With appreciation,
Stepheny

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