“Undertake not what you cannot Perform but be Careful to keep your Promise.”

I’m sure that George Washington must have thought often of this Rule he learned in his youth, when he struggled with his soldiers in the nearly 7 years of the Revolutionary War.

When he was first elected by Congress as the Commander in Chief of the newly united American armies, I don’t think he could have fully understood the troubles and distresses they would have to endure for the next several years.

The victory at Dorchester Heights, was a great beginning. But the battles of New York nearly destroyed the whole army, and except for miraculous happenings even George Washington would have been killed.

More miracle occurred with the crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton. But still the war dragged on with more losses than wins, until that deciding battle at Yorktown.

George must have thought back often to his acceptance of his appointment to lead the troops. He would remind himself “Be careful to keep your Promise.” He did. He endured. He was victorious. That led him on to become the valiant hero that he was.

“Undertake not what you cannot Perform but be Careful to keep your Promise.” And he did!