"But daddy, we haven't done my homework!" Some words you don't expect to hear from a kid. Yet, those are the exact words that exploded from my 5-year-old "Baby Girl" a few months ago. Here I thought that there was a natural repulsion between kids and homework. Guess it's a learned skill.

Unfortunately, the day had used up most of my caffeine energy, and I barely had enough to get her ready for bed. Still, I know the hopes I have for her. I know the importance of learning good habits early in life. And you know that there was no way daddy would say no to his Baby Girl. So, we did it. We wrote letters and added up numbers. Afterwards, I thought, " How did I accomplish something, that I had no energy to do?" How do you do the extraordinary, when you lack the energy to do the ordinary?

For me personally, it is about being the example. Preferably, the right example. I want Baby Girl to see the right example in my actions. The example of getting things done when it's not easy to do. Getting things done when people are depending on you. It's then that I truly understood integrity. Making sure that my thoughts, words, and actions all matched up like the perfectly aligned gig line on a military uniform.

It's officially 2017. The best and worst of 2016 will be recounted for the next few weeks. New Year's resolutions are being started by many. While I did my typical year in review of my life, I won't be making any resolutions. Instead, I will continue to live up to the lesson that Baby Girl has reminded of: Be a person of integrity. And do homework. Can't forget homework.

About the Author

NICK BASKERVILLE has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 16 years of fire service time, with 13 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) as a chapter president, a Health and Wellness committee member, and one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance.