j . a . m . k . m . b: Glad I wasnt flying US Airways

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."

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Glad I wasnt flying US Airways

I wondered this morning if we were actually going to take off as we sat in a snow storm on the tarmac at JFK waiting for the wings to get de-iced, and for the line-up of dozens of delayed planes ahead of us on the runway. In the end, even though we were quite delayed, we got off and I'm back home safe in California. Upon arriving I was greeted with the news of a plane out

of LaGuardia in NY having trouble and ditching into the Hudson River right by Manhattan. That would NOT have been fun to be one of those passengers, but thankfully all are accounted for and seemingly ok.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/nyregion/16crash.html

I was also pleased that everyone seems to actually be feeling pretty good, and recovering from sicknesses. So all in all, we're happy and well. I'm psyched to be home, and Brig made it worth a quick stop at home before heading in to work to take care of a couple of things. He can sure make us feel good when he shows happiness to see us!

I ordered some triathlon aerobars for my bike with a couple of Christmas and birthday gift cards I received from family and friends, and I was very pleased and surprised to see they already arrived and were waiting for me when I got home. They're going on the bike tonight for a trial run!

Holiday pics tomorrow hopefully...

1 comment:

Cammi said...: I had a little panic today when I saw the crash and remembered you'd said you were flying home at the end of the week...was relieved when I saw the plane was going to Charlotte. AMAZING that everyone was safe.

Sorry you're sick, Angela. NO FUN being sick without your right hand man there to help out.

CONGRATS on leasing your Provo house. What a relief!

We miss you guys. Hearing about the weather there is painful after the temps we've had this week. I miss CA! And you guys, too!

Take Care!; January 15, 2009 at 8:56 PM

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Glad I wasnt flying US Airways

1 comment:

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