j . a . m . k . m . b: The Big Man's Birthday

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."

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Big Man's Birthday

I'm not one to make a big deal out of my own birthday. In fact, as each successive year goes by, I am less and less excited about being the center of attention on my birthday. It's not out of some sort of "denial of my birthday will keep me younger than I am", it's more like I just don't need all the attention.

Today was my 37th birthday. Morgan informed me I should be 38 because the day I was born was my first birthday - well I will actually decline that invitation and cling to 37 for as long as I can. The kids and Angela have made it a really nice day. We started with our traditional donut birthday breakfast, and then it was off to work. It was a normal day for me at work - Ang had been planning on a birthday lunch with me but a couple of the kids were sick so she had to stay home...oh well. After work we all went to Armadillo Willeys for a fun BBQ (and I use that term loosely here in California) dinner with the whole fam. Remarkably, everyone felt better when it came time to go to dinner. The kids then gave me a few small but really thoughtful gifts, and it was a great evening together.

Another great thing I have to admit was the chance I had to catch up with family members as they emailed and called. I have a great, great family, and I love them all very much. I guess birthdays are great after all because they enable (or force?) us to reach out and share some love and thoughts. It's been an awesome day.

And one of the gifts I asked for from Angela was this: sit down with me and watch a movie without doing anything else for the entire time: no folding laundry, no addressing Christmas cards, no checking email, no calling anyone, no answering the phone, no checking homework, no school PTA stuff, no nothing ... just her, me, and the movie. And we're about to start, so I'm out...

4 comments:

samandbrodi said...: Happy Birthday John. You are an old man! Thats awesome.; December 10, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Unknown said...: happy birthday oldie! you sure are getting up there in years...

i only can say that because i'll always be 10 years younger than you.. although i'm starting to feel old too..; December 11, 2008 at 8:31 AM
Whatcott said...: Hope you had a great one! We were at Nutcracker until late... you've had a great 37 years, can't wait to see what else you accomplish in your life. Thanks for your great example.; December 11, 2008 at 8:28 PM
Jenny said...: Hey John!
Happy Birthday, you geezer!

I love your gift request to Ang, although you didn't include "no falling asleep," which is Nate's biggest gripe with me these days.

Tell your kids hello, and we'll talk soon.

Jenny; December 12, 2008 at 10:19 AM

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Big Man's Birthday

4 comments:

Important Links

Blog Archive