j . a . m . k . m . b: Numero Dos

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

... Professor Harold Hill, one of the principal characters in [The Music Man], voices a caution that I share with you. Says he, “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.”

f you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have. Of course, there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.”³ We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.

Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.” Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”

In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, Church member Jay Hess, an airman, was shot down over North Vietnam. For two years his family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. His captors in Hanoi eventually allowed him to write home but limited his message to less than 25 words. What would you and I say to our families if we were in the same situation—not having seen them for over two years and not knowing if we would ever see them again? Wanting to provide something his family could recognize as having come from him and also wanting to give them valuable counsel, Brother Hess wrote—and I quote: “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”

Said one well-known author: “Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend . . . when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

Said the Lord in a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, “In nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.”¹⁰ May we be found among those who give our thanks to our Heavenly Father. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.

Brothers and sisters, my sincere prayer is that we may adapt to the changes in our lives, that we may realize what is most important, that we may express our gratitude always and thus find joy in the journey."

Friday, November 21, 2008

Numero Dos

It was very hard for me to decide between the #2 and #1 games. It's almost like 1 and 1a...

Brandon Doman and LaVell's last game

My good friend and rabid Utah fan, Jim Cowley, shocked me by inviting me to go with him to the Utah-BYU game in 2000. I reminded him who I would be cheering for, promised to be polite, and there we were on game day in the North endzone of Rice-Eccles stadium. It was cold, the field was a weird shade of non-green, and I was sitting/standing in a sea of red season ticket holders. BYU played very well for the first three quarters, amassing a nice 26-10 lead. The U then inserted disgruntled QB Darnell Arceneaux, and for some reason, it became a new ball game. Utah scored 17 unanswered points throughout the fourth quarter, the last of which was a pass to their wide open tight end right in front of us (maybe his first catch that year?!) to go ahead with like 2 minutes remaining. You should have seen the derision and abuse I took from the drunk U fans all around me. So BYU gest the ball back and it was not going well, finding themselves on 4th and 13 from their own 17 yard line. I remember Doman on a designed roll-out to his left (I remember thinking, "don't roll that way, that's where the pressure's been coming from!") and after a brief pause, flinging the ball down the left

side of the field. I was amazed that he threw it long, knowing he should have just been trying to get the first down. But lo and behold, Jonathan Pitman had broken free and was coming back for the ball and a 34 yard first down. At that exact moment, I knew we'd won the game. Our kicker was nails that year, and I had no doubt we could win. The next play Doman went up top again for Pitman, this time completing a 36 yard pass with a tightrope catch down the left sideline to move us down to the Utah 13 yard line. The refrigerator door was all but closed... Two plays later, Doman swept right, broke a couple of tackles, and powered the ball over the goalline for a victory in LaVell Edwards' last game. I actually think I was still polite to the U fans around me, but you could say it was a very LOUD polite.

1 comment:

Matt M. said...: Love the top moments, I get chills just thinking about them. I second all of those. Last years would definitely be in my top five too, being there in Edwards Stadium east stands going crazy on their last drive. What a game. Go Cougs! Wish I could be at the game tomorrow but sadly I'll be watching with friends at our place.; November 21, 2008 at 3:59 PM

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Friday, November 21, 2008

Numero Dos

1 comment:

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