j . a . m . k . m . b: Reading Time

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, January 27, 2010

Reading Time

I sometimes spend too much time in the "reading room". Thing is, I like magazines, but I'll never just sit down and read a magazine because it feels like wasted time. But I will use biological time to catch up on my favorite mags. I will make my way through an entire issue over time, not reading anything else until I finish that one - I dog ear the page I'm on for the next time. Yes it sometimes comes with numb legs, but in general, it's good quality time. Here are my favorite magazines:

ESPN the Magazine can feel pretty corporate at times, but I admit I really like it. The thing I like best is that it doesn't really have a strong urgency component to it. What I mean is that sure, it's seasonal and ties to upcoming or current seasons, but most of the good articles within the pages are actually very interesting regardless of when I read them. I still have 1-2 year old issues that I'm just getting to, and I find the articles about specific athletes or events just as interesting as if I read them when they were new.

I don't need a big celebrity fix, so it's not about that - in fact I enjoy the articles about someone completely random as much as articles about people I recognize. It's an entertaining read.

USA Triathlon Life is a new one for me, as it came with my USA Triathlon membership late last year. I seriously can't get enough of it though. I even love the advertisements -- I'll spend significant time just gazing at the tri bikes being advertised for sale. I think my recent fascination with triathlon, especially the longer course races, is driving my intense interest in this magazine. It's a nice mix of telling about the sport's top racers, and providing a link to more normal people like me.

Bicycling Mag is one that I've read pretty religiously for a while now. I really like the road cycling specifics that this rag covers in excruciating detail. I eat up the riding, the training, the motivation, the do's and dont's, and just about everything they throw at me on the pages.

It's not the world's best magazine to keep you updated on the professional peloton, but I don't need that - I prefer something more for the common man, which is what this seems to be. Sure it has a fixation with all things Lance, but you get enough stuff applicable to reality that it's very useful and interesting. I covet the nice bikes and gear that grace its pages.

Don't like the cover "pose" factor that I'll talk more about below...

Bike Magazine is a new one for me - thanks Dave for the Christmas present! It's strictly mountain biking, and I don't mountain bike ... yet ... but that being said, I love the cross-over biking culture, and if I had the money to get the right Mtn bike, I'd be all over it - someday! The first issue I got was "the Bible of bike tests", so it was a perfect one to start with as it laid out all the variations of mountain biking specialties and the different kinds of bikes. Given that I don't mtn bike, I laughed at myself that I pored over every word of this magazine with intense interest.

Runner's World is a good magazine for runners. It tells interesting stories about big name runners - usually names I recognize from the world of elite running - as well as the average joe who has improved his or her life by running. I really like the training and nutrition tips, as well as the feature on interesting runs or races. It can get a little narrow in its focus, so I find myself browsing more than pouring over the pages.

One thing I really don't like is the "pose" factor on the covers - just put a nasty runner slogging through a long run in the rain on the cover, and I'll buy the magazine lots faster than a model pretending like they run

j . a . m . k . m . b

Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2008

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Reading Time

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