j . a . m . k . m . b: the *NEW* me

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."

Monday, November 30, 2009

the NEW me

Every once in a while I have an epiphany related to myself. Sometimes they're instantaneous, sudden, and unexpected. Other times, they roll around in the back of my mind for weeks, lurking in the corners before I even know they're there, slowly taking shape, baking, and then evolving as I start to put conscious thoughts to whatever they are. That's where I am today.

I have realized there are a couple areas of my life where I want to be better. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I hope many of you see the effects in the coming months...

I've mentioned before that I'm taking on a new role at work. It's exciting and stressful and interesting and overwhelming all at the same time. My own team will be in flux a little as there are still moving pieces, but there is more definition now around my role and responsibilities and that is a very good thing. A by-product of this change, though, is that I've been so consumed at work that I haven't had much time to update this blog, which makes me sad because I don't want people to get out of the habit of checking it frequently. I'll try to be better.

P90X is going well - tough, tough, tough to keep up day after day, but I've been doing pretty well at it. The first three weeks of each phase are intense, and then the 4th week is supposed to be a "rest" week. I'm in the 4th week, and was surprised at how UN-restful it is...

I had a funny dream last night related to my workouts. A lot of P90X is based on strengthening your core, with a likely result of gnarly abs. So I dreamed I was with the family in a shopping center parking lot (don't know why), and I had my shirt off (that makes more sense...). A lady came up to me and made some admiring comments about my muscular physique, and my abs in particular (remember, this is a dream!). Then her husband, who was somehow behind me, and probably feeling jealous about his wife's comments, said something to the effect of: "yeah, but look at all that back hair!" and then they went off laughing........ Let me now take the opportunity to thank my forefathers for body hair.

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Monday, November 30, 2009

the NEW me

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