Stan Houston wrote..........
.................each one of you take a few minutes to reflect on the
positive aspects of your life. Jot them down and then review them.....
I have been thinking writing a New Year's message, and the missive from Stan
got me to list items about this past year; a sort of tallying up. The old
Chinese saying "may you live in interesting times" comes to mind.
This past year has been very "interesting" to me. Before Feb., 1996, I
would say to myself, "been there, done that". I was, frankly, bored with my
life and had retreated into a world without passion, without excitement,
without friends. I was drifting through life, figuring that it was only
downhill to the long dreamless surcease. I was sort of content, thinking
there were no battles left. Then I was diagnosed with Parkinson's, and then
in July, after an MRI, with adult onset hydrocephalus. I may or may not have
PD, as I am getting mixed signals on this.
The tally:
I have two wonderful children, now young adults with their own
careers. Plus they are nice people; bright, caring, fun to be with, doing
fun things. I used to tell my son that the only thing that was important was
climbing the corporate ladder, that success was measured by material things.
My mantra (before this year) was "he who dies with the most toys, wins".
Now I realize the truth of a saying that I saw on a tee shirt during a
bicycle trip I took (alone of course, always alone) in Alaska two years ago:
"he who dies with the most toys, dies". Now my mantra is "when there is a
choice between time or money, always take the time".
I have a wonderful wife. She is a caring help-mate who has put up
with me for a sometimes rocky 32 years. Sometimes I felt that she held me
back, that she was an anchor preventing me from greater and more "fun". Now
I understand that she is the anchor which gives me stability, prevents me
from being dashed on the shoals and rocks of misfortune.
I feel I am more alive. While I still don't view each new day as
the "first day in the rest of my life", I am getting there! A few years ago
my fast track didn't allow time to "stop and smell the roses". Now I want
to roll in the flower bed! My hero, my model has gone from Coleman
Mockler, the deceased CEO of Gillette who died of a heart attack while at
his desk, to Snoopy, who loves to roll in the flower bed!
My New Year's message is this: take time to enjoy life and enjoy being with
those people who are important to you. And if you don't now, make yourself
enjoy those things!! People can make themselves unhappy. I did; they can
also make themselves happy. I am trying.
Peace, John
