Sunday December 28, 2008...Delinquent

I don't know if I'm A delinquent, but I am delinquent. It isn't that I haven't had thoughts to express, it's just that I got caught up in Christmas.

Christmas has come and gone and we now enter the quiet time between Christmas and New Years. All the furor and hubbub of Christmas has passed and we can now sit and vegetate and think about all the Christmas goodies we've consumed. Some of us feel guilty about all the cookies and candies, but they were really really good. Of course, we all still probably have left-overs still to devour and we can put off feeling real remorse until after the New Years when we will all promise ourselves to do better.

I dislike the commercialization of Christmas, but I like to give gifts and I like to visit family, so I compromise and give useful and practical gifts and shower as much love as I can on my family.

Looking forward beyond New Years, we all worry about the weather and about the condition of our economy and about the upcoming change in political policies, but we can worry about that later. Right now it's awfully nice to just sit back and relax with a hot cup of coffee or tea and to watch the lights on the Christmas tree blink.

Peace and quiet is good!

Monday December 8, 2008...A Friend died today

Today we lost a bit of the light in this world.
A friend died today. Richard Copaken was his name.
He was a long lost friend from my teenage years that I had just rediscovered.
And now he's gone. He's gone before I had a chance to revisit our past.
He's gone before I had a chance to renew our friendship from many years ago.
He's gone and although I haven't seen him in years, he was part of my life and I will miss him.

He was always a joy to be with and an inspiration to look up to.
He was someone to emulate and appreciate.
I was so happy to have found him after all these years and looked forward to our next visit.
He was taken in just a matter of weeks since I found him again and I'm so sorry that I missed the opportunity to share memories with him.

I shall miss my friend.

Monday December 1, 2008...He's right

He's right, you know.

If you continue to hate your former enemies, they will never become your friends and allies. Over the centuries, we have seen former hated enemy states eventually become trusted allies. It's just a matter of allowing the past to remain in the past. President Obama is, by his actions, allowing his former opponents to join him in dealing with the problems that face all of us. It's not just a case of forgiveness – it's all about positive thinking and practicality. You can't continue to let the past determine your future. You need to forgive and forget and look forward.

In our own private lives, we need to carry this same positive attitude forward. Don't dwell of what might have been – look to what might yet be.