Catholic Schools Week - Caring Communities

This week I write about Catholic Schools and the reasons I so believe in them ...

We know what Jesus said ... "love one another as I have loved you." And I am a living product of the kind of environment that showed that perspective every day. I am not just a cradle Catholic but a cradle Catholic school student, from Kindergarten through the University I attended. I know the difference true care makes.

A caring community ... any caring community, whether it's as simple as a small church group or as complicated as a Catholic school ... is a great place to learn in, no matter the situation. The connections are real, there is love in the air, there is something uniquely different about it ... it exudes a palpable sense of belonging and of being accepted and loved because you do.

I value all of the caring school communities I have been a part of, through grade school, into high school and college ... and they have each left a mark on me, morally and spiritually, and in secular ways too. Beyond camaraderie and warm feelings, they have taught me how to care, really care, for others. They have taught me the value of sharing your blessings. They have instilled in me a moral sense that no amount of pure education and knowledge can compete with. And yes, importantly, they have delivered a great education wrapped in that love that Jesus spoke of.

I thank God that we have Catholic schools, because they deliver value beyond measure ... they truly do.

Finite Time

From an interview with Michael Douglas on The Today Show … “It's been a wild six-month ride," Douglas said in his first television interview since undergoing cancer treatment. The experience left him with an appreciation of finite time, he said. "It's put a timeline on my life," he said. "I'm 66 now. You know, I'm fortunate I've got a mother who's 88 … my father's 94. So, you know, I feel good about those genes. But it's definitely a third act. And so you're a little more conscious of your time and how you choose to spend it."

As cancer put his life in jeopardy, he developed a new regard for family and friends. "All of a sudden the affection from my family, from my friends, and from my fans hit me at a much deeper level than I would have ever imagined before," Douglas said. "And it gave me a really new appreciation of just how valuable, how precious good friends are and family. And it's not that I disregarded them before but there's a much deeper feeling. I've talked to other cancer survivors about this ... that you just really, really appreciate what's important in life," he said.

That concept of finite time looks us in the face every day, not only when a crisis strikes. It’s why we are taught to make the most of each day. But we don’t always listen or realize what that means.

Finite time is the limit God puts on our lives, though unknown to us. Only he knows the limit, the edge of our own personal clock. And that makes every single day a measure of finiteness that we control. I pray that I realize that every day … that I know I can make every day a success in His eyes.

Life expectancy is now at 78.24 years in the US … for me, that means my finite time may end in just 20 years. Or in the next day. Regardless, I know that finite time will define my legacy and yours. That is enough reason to make every day, and every minute, count.

Lessons Learned

From a post on Agape Love … “We don’t learn God’s lessons of patience and trust in times of ease, prosperity and comfort. The greatest faith building lessons are during times of difficulty and heartache. God doesn’t waste ANYTHING, not even our heartaches and trials. They have a purpose in Gods eternal plan. TRUST GOD is in control even when your life SEEMS out of control.”

Learning comes more from struggle than triumph. Said another way, I go back to a quote that a co-worker shared with me almost 25 years ago, one that I have believed in all my life: Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.

My best friend often says that character is revealed in darkness, and I realize that is true in all our lives. When times are tough, each one of us has a chance to rise up and show our worth, our true and inherent value. When our friends are down, we have a chance to carry them to a better place. When our children are disappointed and hurting, we have a chance to teach.

We learn from God through all of our suffering, so when you start to think “Why me?”, perhaps the better question is “What are you teaching me here, God?”

Reset the Day

From the Positively Sunny website, written by a great colleague of mine from years gone by … How do you turn your day around? Do you ever wish you could re-start your day? It’s easier to start my day over when I have a ritual to turn things around … the act of doing something allows me to reset my inner mood. I’ve found that simply saying that I’m going to start over and saying a prayer, asking my higher power to help me, works.

Good advice. Days come and go, and many don’t go the way we expected. It isn’t that they become utterly terrible … I’m not talking about the days that are truly horrible in our lives. I speak of the “everyday” day, and of that moment when the day turns and the mood changes in an unexpected way. It isn’t the same day, all of a sudden.

I remember a day in the 70’s like it was yesterday … I was on the way to work, in a good mood, driving my brother’s car because my car was in the shop, driving through the snowstorm. And then the traffic ahead of me stopped and I rammed into the back of a car, sliding helplessly all the way. I did all the right things with the other driver, the police … but that isn’t really what I remember.

What has stayed with me all these years, almost 35 of them at this point, is the sick feeling I had all of that day. I could not shake it. It was the proverbial black cloud you hear about, a crushing burden that day. No matter what I did at work, it was always there. But at that time, I didn’t at all have the power of prayer.

Prayer, even a brief one, is the salve that soothes the day. I rarely have those dark moments now that I do see that He can help me control my thoughts and feelings. Life is short and every moment is precious, so it is easier now to take a longer view. Is that because of my age or maturity, or is it a new gift created through my greater focus on prayer? Some of all, I expect … but no matter the reason, it does make almost every day a better one … thanks go to my Why Catholic group for helping me understand the power of prayer.

The Warm Touch

Sunday Mass today held a very special treat ... I saw so many embers of our small church group, it felt like a wonderful mini-reunion. It's been months since we've met together and it felt so good to be with them and hug them again. Seven of us happened to attend the same Mass ... happenstance perhaps, but a happy one.

When that happens ... when you get an unexpected warm touch in your life ... doesn't it feel like a gift from God?  It is real joy to feel it and to know that it represents what we all need, the comfort of people that know us and express their pleasure to us. Smiles abound and all seems well with the world. And when it happens in church, it is doubly appreciated. Today it felt like an extension of the Mass, of the kind of community that our time and talent can build.

I truly appreciate the warm touch I get from my new friends, and I pray that they know just how much they mean to me, each and every one.

Prayer for Marcy, a Teacher Above All

There is a wonderful friend of mine in the hospital today, a friend who is so sweet it's no wonder she loves bread pudding above almost all things. In fact, Marcy and I have become best BPBs ... Bread Pudding Buddies. In earlier years, we always tried the bread pudding around the country whenever we were together at company events. More recently I have been privileged to make her various puddings ... but always with the whiskey sauce we both like. There is nothing like a little bread pudding with your whiskey sauce.

Ours is a unique friendship and I pray for her today. Hers has been a long journey, in recent years more filled with doctors and trips to medical centers than she would care for. That journey has taken her up the East Coast and back, and she has gotten some very good news from the Cleveland Clinic recently. I pray that she will recover well from this most recent issue ... I pray too that she has many more miles to travel. Marcy is a fighter and a person who teaches us all how to live, how to smile and how to be all she can be every day. No surprise, because she has been a teacher all her life.

As I think about her today, I think about everyone who has a teacher in their life, whether they are school teachers or life teachers. Marcy happens to be both, and I have many of them in my life. From the two school teachers I have in my own family to the small church group I belong to, from my past mentors to my best friend, from my Men's Group in Greensboro to great new friends at my new church ... even people I have as friends in social media. There is always something to learn from teachers, from their writings and from what they share in lots of ways ... and their example is their best testament.

Marcy is that kind of teacher, a teacher by example. I feel like all of us, and all of her family, have learned much from her over all the years, and perhaps most in the last 10 years of perseverance. It is that spirit in Marcy and all teachers that I praise today, because it comes from God. Teaching is difficult, no matter what way it is done, and it requires a special touch and a special kind of perseverance that can draw in a student or a listener. Teachers draw us to a truth ... and isn't that what God does? Thank you, Marcy, for sharing your spirit and your truth with us ... we hold you in our hearts, always.

Your Temple

As we make our resolutions early in the New Year, it is interesting to note how the Bible can offer sound advice that relates to our choices, both temporal and spiritual. This selection, from the Purpose Driven Connection website and Rick Warren, is a different take on the “temple” that God has given us, our bodies … I pray that I can pay attention to its message as I embark on a new year of healthy living ... 

“Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV)

We all want to improve our lives. Every year Americans spend billions of dollars on products, books and seminars that we think will make our lives better. Sadly, most of them don’t work or they only produce short-term results.

The only thing that can guarantee true transformation in your life is found in God’s Word. And any change in any area of your life begins with your physical body. Why? Because your body affects your behavior, and every change in your life requires energy. The reason most people never change is that they are too tired to change.

If you want to change, you have to make the choice. That is why the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 to “offer your bodies.” It has to be your choice. If you don’t choose to change, you are not going to change. Paul then says we need to offer our bodies as a “spiritual act of worship.” Here are three practical ways to offer your body to God as an act of worship:

1.     Cleanse your body. I’m not talking about taking a bath. I’m talking about detoxing it. “Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates the body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV). The way you contaminate your body is by what you eat or drink, and the way you contaminate your spirit is by what your see or hear.

2.     Care for your body. “No one hates his own body, but lovingly cares for it just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church” (Ephesians 5:29 LB). God expects you to take care of your body by keeping it in good shape, getting enough rest, and eating the right foods for good nutrition.

3.     Control your body. “Each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thessalonians 4:4 NIV). This means you tell your body what to do; it doesn’t tell you what to do. Controlling your body also means keeping it in good shape: “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should do” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

True Faith

A simple and evocative quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., shared by a good friend on Facebook … “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

That is a truly powerful image of the future. After all, can we really know what will happen in the next year or next month or next week or even the next minute? We can expect that some things will indeed happen … a weekend trip you have planned, a meeting you will attend, a prayer time you have set aside. But we will only know in hindsight if they did happen as we expected.

Taking the first step is truly the most important thing we can do, in all things. A philosopher once said “Every journey begins with but a single step” and that is so true. When I think about anything I’ve done in my life, I know it began with a step of faith … a college choice, a career decision, a choice of a soulmate, any number of geographical moves, a decision to sell a business, to join a new church, to sign up for a small church community … everywhere I look, there has been a first step of faith.

Many years ago, I was asked to create a lifeline as part of a Pre-Cana exercise. It was harder and more rewarding than I ever thought it would be, and almost thirty years later I still remember one of the things I learned about myself: I love change and relish the opportunity to live anew. That continues to this day, but I don’t think I would be as open to change if it wasn’t for the first steps of faith that have led me.

There is no way I foresaw the staircase I am on, but I know it is the one God has planned for me. I pray that I will always look at change with joy, and realize that every day is another first step of faith … and one step closer to Him.

Tomorrow is Today

A quote from Martin Luther King … "We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked, and dejected with a lost opportunity. The tide in the affairs of men does not remain at flood … it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is adamant to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words, "Too late."

When you listen to Dr. King speak, in old radio sound bites, you realize the sheer power that he had in his words, his cadence … he drew you into his words. NPR had some of his speeches on the radio this weekend and I felt like I was nodding as he spoke. Powerful words leave an imprint.

I had never seen this quote but it certainly feels like it was this concept that drove him. He surely knew his destiny was upon him. People were looking to him for action, resolve, courage … and so he did his duty to himself, to them and to Him.

Dr. King’s quote came into my inbox yesterday, courtesy of Seth Godin in his daily email blog. And Seth said this a different way … “Most of us are carrying around a check, an opportunity to make an impact, to do the work we’re capable of. No, the world isn’t fair and most people don’t get all the chances they deserve. But the check remains, now more than ever. The opportunity to step up, and to fail and continue failing until we succeed, is greater now than it has ever been.”

I pray that we not fail in our own duty to Him. We are here to impact our corner of the world, to show that we were here for a purpose. In small ways and large, in how we contribute … that is how we cash our check every day. We too have a responsibility to act with courage and resolve, just like Dr. King. We may not be famous luminaries but we can still shed a positive light on all we touch … because powerful acts of kindness leave an imprint too.

Remember Dr. King’s words … tomorrow is now today. How will I … and you … choose to cash our check today, and every day?

God is Always With You

From a Facebook post I saw last week … May the Light of God surround you, the Love of God enfold you and the Power of God protect you. Wherever you are, there God is.

What a wonderful little prayer. It feels almost like God is building a sphere of comfort for our lives and souls, a safe harbor for us. And it requires us to understand that we are each children of God, worth surrounding, enfolding and protecting.

Too often we feel alone in our stress or in our situation, but this prayer is a gentle reminder that God is with us at all times. He is everywhere we are, enveloping us in His love. He is present in every moment, helping us shape our legacy. He is first and foremost our companion, the one who knows us best.

I am comforted by knowing that He is right here, right now, in the moment even when I fail to notice Him. He cannot wait for me to realize it, because that is His job … to be there for me. Just as we are there for those we love … surrounding, enfolding, protecting … He is there for me. And I don’t even have to ask. Wherever I am, there God is … that is a feeling worth exploring, and appreciating. 

Good Deeds

I happily spent a day this past week in a hospital room, talking with one of my most wonderful friends … a young lady who is almost a daughter to me, starting a program to shed an addiction to pain medicine. It was a good day for her and for me too, seeing her doing well as she started the process. There are no promises on a journey like this, no magic in the future. But it opened a bigger window on her soul to me and it got me thinking about the “magic” of good deeds.

We all do them, most often consciously. Someone asks for help and we respond, or we see a need and fill it. Sometimes the deeds are simple, sometimes onerous, other times we’re not quite sure. But what is sure is how we feel when we’re done. It feels like human warmth and a counterpoint to sin and selfishness.

I think about a time when my wife and I were a consulting couple on a Pre-Cana team at our church, working with engaged couples over the course of several Friday nights, 2 or 3 times a year. Fridays are tiring, the end of a busy week, mentally and physically draining in plenty of ways. But even on the days that we wondered if we could do it, on the worst Fridays of the year, we felt such a wondrous recuperation when we were present to our couples. I don’t know if those were good deeds … after all, we were supposed to be there. But they were good deeds for our souls.

Maybe there is a time to use selfishness to drive us to greater good. We have an inborn capacity to give … our time, our talent, our treasure. But the more we give, the more we learn that makes us better. Not in the giving but in the receiving. I see better now that we are filled and measured by how much we can give, share and communicate with our words and with our actions.

It can be a small thing to do a good deed, as simple as sharing a kind word or smile … and it can be a large thing to do a good deed, changing someone’s life for the better. I pray that we can perceive and accept the opportunities all around us to bask in the magic of our own good deeds … it is our choices, selfish choices meant for good, that can change the world.

Going Solo

A poignant moment from an article about music producer Quincy Jones, in the Orlando Sunday paper last weekend … The man they call Q nodded at the cell phone, saying “I’ve deleted 188 names this year. That’s what happens when you’re 77, man … you start playing in bands and doing duets, and then you worry that in the end, it’s all going to be a solo.”

I’ve never had to delete a number from my phone due to a death. The closest I’ve come has been revising a Christmas list now and again, for the death of a spouse. But it’s the last line that caught my eye … “in the end, it’s all going to be a solo.”

No matter how we look at it, in the end we each will indeed be going solo. Or at least that may be what we think, or what we fear. But while that is our destiny, there will be a companion with us, unseen but always at our side. We are in fact always playing in a duet. It is our faith that can lend us grace at the end of our song. Our duet can be never ending, full of surprise and wonder, if we but believe. We may have even more than we expect. Maybe even a band of family members waiting and heavenly music we have never heard … not at all the sound of going solo.

The Journey

Today one of the special people in my life starts a unique journey, one that has been long in coming. As I think of Teri, I pray for her welfare, her perseverance and her success. This is the first day of the rest of her life, an important day indeed.

Every one of us is on a most important single journey, but there are so many side journeys we also experience. When I was young, I came to America with my Dad, not once but twice … I even remember the train trip we took on the first visit. Later my journey took me to a high school military academy, to a wonderful University in South Bend and on to Chicago. My marriage journey began in 1977 and continues to this day, through wonderful highs and bumpy lows … hard travel and worth every minute. Several journeys of fatherhood later, I relish four independent and successful young adults spread far and wide. And there are many others, long and short, necessary and even unnecessary … too many journeys to count.

It is only now, as I more clearly see my road and purpose, that I most appreciate the most important single journey I have. It is a journey I take myself, inspired by others to be sure and measured in prayer and love. It is a journey that lifts me, mysterious and unknown, but full of grace and comfort too. It is a journey measured not in miles but smiles, hugs, caring thoughts and words and deeds both small and large.

I think about my journey every day, because each day is a blessing and a journey in and of itself. And I think about your journey too, and how it will intersect with mine. You may not know it but your journey is important to me, too … because we really are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord.

I wish for Teri … and for you … Godspeed to a wonderful new place in your life, every day. Enjoy the journey.

Building a Blessing

This weekend I attended a groundbreaking for a new Habitat House our church is building in conjunction with a partner church here in Orlando. We haven’t started the actual construction but it is always inspiring to see people working together to create a new beginning, no matter what it entails. And while this was a “ceremonial” event, it gave us all a chance to meet the family we are helping with our efforts.

In the words of Valerie Justice, the head of the family that will be moving in, “I never even thought about owning a home. I set my mind to being a renter all my life.” Her son Rodney added, “It’s a fresh start for us. We’ve been truly blessed.”

The more we are blessed, the more of a blessing we must be … that’s something that our CEO believes and that we all can choose to live. Community service takes many forms but none so fulfilling as seeing the change that a family can experience with the help of caring volunteers. Whether it is helping Habitat build a first home or being there to comfort hospice families as one of our small faith community members does, acting as a blessing is paying it forward. This is a choice we have, no matter how we decide to express it.

After all, we never know when we will need that same helping hand, that same special blessing that could come when we least expect it.

Making a Mark

From Seth Godin’s blog … All you've got, all any of us have are the memories and expectations and changes we've left with others. The concrete impact of our lives and our work is the mark you make on other people. It might be a job you do, a product you make or the way you look someone in the eye. It might be a powerful experience you have on a trip with your dad, or the way you keep a promise.

The experiences you create are the moments that define you. We'll miss you when you're gone, because we will always remember the mark you made on us.

There's a sign on most sports courts encouraging players to only wear sneakers with non-marking soles. I'm not sure there's such a thing in our lives. If you're going to do anything worthy, you're going to leave a mark.

When I think about my life, I think in these terms … what difference am I making and what legacy am I leaving? Like most of us, I have a family, a job and a workplace, friends, interests, a skill set, stuff I own, challenges and opportunities … the trappings of a healthy and happy life. And I mean trappings in a positive way, because all of my life is valuable.

Too I believe all of our lives are valuable, every one. But primarily because we each leave a mark on the world, a mark that is seen in real time and remembered in a depth of memory that can only be measured by a depth of meaning. We have a responsibility do things that are worthy, whether they be large visible things or smaller personal ones that make a difference. That is why God has put us on this spot, at this time.

When I travel, I look at the people in the airport security line, knowing that each has a story and each has meaning. If we watch and listen well, we can learn more about those stories and take in the meaning that each individual provides.  You are going to leave a mark, just as I am … you have the same opportunity we all have, to leave a legacy that outlives you. I pray we recognize our potential, and our responsibility, as we create experiences and moments that define us here and in God’s eyes.

Amen

Last night in our Revelations study session at Annunciation, there was a question that asked what the word "Amen" meant. It was a question I had never seen before, so I did some research and found that most often Amen means verily, so be it or let it be. Something vague nagged at me until I realized I needed to look at some song lyrics, for one of my favorite songs ... and I was struck by the message:

Let It Be

When I find myself in times of trouble,

Mother Mary comes to me,

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

And in my hour of darkness,

She is standing right in front of me,

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be,

Let it be, let it be,

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And all the broken-hearted people

Living in the world agree,

There will be an answer, let it be.

For though they may be parted,

There is still a chance that they will see.

There will be an answer, let it be.

Let it be, let it be,

Let it be, yeah, let it be,

There will be an answer, let it be.

And when the night is cloudy,

There is still a light that shines on me.

Shine on til tomorrow, let it be.

I wake up to the sound of music,

Mother Mary comes to me,

There will be no sorrow, let it be.

Let it be, let it be,

Let it be, let it be,

There will be no sorrow, let it be.

Let it be, let it be,

Let it be, let it be,

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

Those are powerful images from Paul McCartney ... think about what they mean and they feel like one of the most poetic prayers I have heard. I will pray on that tonight.

Listen Up

From Sacred Prayer … As I talk to Jesus, may I also learn to be still and listen. I picture the gentleness in His eyes and the smile full of love as He gazes on me. I can be totally honest with Jesus as I tell Him of my worries and my cares. I will open up my heart to Him as I tell Him of my fears and my doubts. I will ask Him to help me place myself fully in his care, to abandon myself to Him, knowing that He always wants what is best for me.

Listening to a silent voice is not at all easy. We pray to God and His son, but neither one answers back in a way that we can hear. But we feel more peaceful when we pray, because we believe. That in itself is a pure marvel to people who don’t have a calming relationship with God.

Listening to the self is hard in a different way. Perhaps we listen too much. My doubts are often what drive my prayers … I admit that I can still feel the stress of situations at work and at home, even as I pray more. I do all I can to keep a peaceful heart, to take each day as it comes. But still there can be palpable fear that creeps in on silent paths, especially when day is done and the mind turns in on itself.

My wife reads at night, always a spiritual reading before bed. I am more of a morning spiritualist, starting my day by getting inspiration and sharing it in writings. But she may in fact have the better answer … that evening calming may help me abandon myself to Him more deeply. It may be that it is at night when we are at our most vulnerable, and can be still and listen, truly listen, with a more discerning ear.

Another Way

Sunday’s homily at Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro highlighted the final words of the gospel reading … “The Magi, having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, departed for their country by another way.”

Deacon Tim Rohan’s homily highlighted the idea that the birth of Jesus allows us to return to our country … our selves … a bit differently. As we begin the New Year, this is a new opportunity to look at the “way” we have been traveling, and consider if there is “another way” that will better serve the Lord. His sermon was compelling and a perfect start to my personal liturgical year.

When the New Year begins, we make resolutions to change. But the change we want is usually outer-directed … losing weight, getting more fit, quitting a bad habit, being nicer to others. How many times do we look deep inside our selves, really deep … how many times do we look at creating our selves in a new way, not just physically but in a more important way: spiritually? Not often enough, because perhaps we have been almost taught or socialized to look too shallow.

I pray today that as I begin this new year … certainly one year closer to God in lots of different ways … I can look at my “country” anew. My country is my spirit, my heart, my mind and my soul. And I pray that when I find “another way”, it will bring me closer to Jesus.

Prayer for Teri

This is a difficult night, and I ask for your prayers for a special friend of mine who continues to struggle with a disease she has been fighting for 4 long years. It is a discouraging fight, though her courage knows no bounds … it is a never-ending siege, one that she endures and fights off as much as she can … and there are hard days and even harder nights filled with doubt and the strain of fighting an unrelenting foe. She is tired, physically and mentally, and needs every prayer she can get, as does her family.

Please keep my friend and her family in your prayers today, and in the future … she needs the hope that our faith can bring. She is most definitely in God's Hands.

Making Resolutions

From an editorial in this morning’s Greensboro paper, as recorded by Glen Campbell in 1972 …

“I will see this day but once.

If there’s any kindness I can show,

Let me show it now.

For I’ll never see this day again.”

As we make our usual personal resolutions on this day, this could resonate in our minds because it’s a thoughtful map for daily living. Not at all easy. In fact, it’s daunting, as the author of the editorial points out … think today about what it asks for in your life.

To me, it means looking for ways to reveal my soul to others, going beyond the everyday discussions we have, going to the core of what I bring to life and sharing that. If you are aware, there are so many ways to express a kindness … in traffic, at work, in communication of every kind, with a smile, a hug, a remembrance. We have the time, if only we have the thought, the knowledge of the impact we have in our words and in our deeds, in what we can do rather than what we will fail to do.

On a daily basis, this is hard work because it’s a gift that we can too easily take for granted. On too many days, life will get in the way and we will forget that we have the power to change lives in small ways every day. But making this a part of our New Year’s resolutions can remind us that we have a daily opportunity for a fresh start on the challenge of living well.

As the author (and the song) also says … “Tomorrow may be too late, my friend, to do all the good that you planned.” Why not do it now? Because we will never have this day again.