Hello again.....

On Sunday,I felt I was busy so I chose not to write. The same applied to Monday. Today I am no less busy, in fact with end of a promotion that I am running coming to a close on Friday, time is becoming an even dearer commodity. Still I feel compelled to write today.
Maybe it's the change in weather (it's absolutely gorgeous here today....Spring is just around the corner).
Maybe it's my casual dress today (no shirt and tie.....hoodie and jeans. I have to help Susan out at the shop later on.)
Maybe it's because ....
I don't really know.
I just know that I really wanted to reach out and connect with you.
So what is on my mind?
Well as I was driving around on my route this morning, I suddenly realized that I was driving a bus.
Duh you might say. I've been driving a bus for weeks now. Why is this such a revelation all of a sudden?
Well because today was the first time it dawned on me that my dad had been a bus driver part time for many years as well. 
When I realized it at first I smiled. 
Gee.....just like dad....I have a part time job in the morning driving a bus!
Just like dad, I have taken this gig to help support my household.
Just like dad,I am out on the road early, without cutting into my day,
giving myself the rest of the day to earn the bigger part of my living.
All of a sudden the smile went away.
My greatest fear had suddenly come over me.
Was I repeating a history that I have been afraid of for decades?
Was I destined to relive the same life that my father had?
Am I setting myself up to continue the legacy that for years I was afraid would be my plight?
I watched my dad struggle for decades to pay bills,to provide for his family and to finally break through and find the dream life which seemed to elude him.
The life of having enough....not having it all,just enough so that we could live like all happy suburban middle class families .
Go on vacation.
Go out to dinner.
Shop at nice stores.
Pay his bills.
Have a savings account,a retirement plan and some cash in both the bank and in his wallet.
Being able to say "sure let's do that" instead of "maybe some other time".
It never really happened.
So here I am.....driving my bus.
Just like dad.
3 kids.....just like dad.
Scratching and clawing....just like dad.
A sick scary feeling started to come over me.
Is history repeating itself?
And just as quickly I hit the reframe button.
Yes there are many similarities....thank goodness.
My dad was great!
He provided for his family.
 He never quit.
He never gave up.
And he had a heart that could never be questioned.
For every similarity, I can also find an exception or a difference.
He had 2 boys and a girl.
 I have 2 girls and a boy.
He drove children.
 I drive seniors.
He loved ketchup.
I rarely use it if at all.
The biggest difference is that I have the gift of history.
And the understanding that history is a guide book not a road map.
I do not have to follow the same path. 
I can pick and choose my way knowing that there are alternate routes with alternate outcomes.
I have the gift of his experiences available to me as life lessons.
I am grateful for these lessons
I am grateful for the gift that was his life.
He taught me what was important.
His life taught me about family.
His life taught me what it means to work hard.
His life taught me what it means to never give up.
His life taught me many more good things than those bad things which I have feared for so long.
His life taught me what it means to be kind,considerate,compassionate, giving,supportive,loving,caring and devoted.
His life taught me to be a mensch.

Just like dad!

I had an absolutely marvelous time today!

 I spent the afternoon with my daughter Sara. For Chanukah, she bought the 2 of us tickets to see the Fantasticks. It was a beautiful day in New York. We walked up and down Broadway for a while and then we were off to see the show.It was a lovely father/daughter experience.
I enjoy whenever I get to spend time with my kids. 
We always seem to be able to grab some 1 on 1 time whether over a breakfast, a lunch or even an outing like this.
It is a special gift that I cherish whenever it happens.
Aside from the day with my daughter,there was something magically special about seeing this particular show.
I first performed in The Fantasticks 43 years ago.I played Bellomy , Louisa's father.
In subsequent performances I have also played  Hucklebee and Mortimer and revisited Bellomy as well.
In the span of 13 years I did this show no less than 4 times (for some reason I think there was a 5th?)
Sitting in the audience, I found myself mouthing every single word spoken by every single character.It is engrained in my memory like the Pledge of Allegiance.
Every move on the stage was just as I remembered it. The choreography as well as the subtle nuances of each performer, were exactly as they were each time I was in one of those productions. 
43 years ago, in literally a couple of weeks,probably 3 or 4?, we managed to go from let's do this thing to curtains up!
It was an extraordinary time. 
There were some extraordinary circumstances.
And we were an extraordinary ensemble. 
It was a highlight among the many highlights that have blessed my life.
I was glad to be transported in time , even for just one afternoon.
The awakening of memories and feelings that I experienced today will stick with me for quite a while.
They will serve as a reminder.A reminder to get back on track with goal #4.....reconnecting. Too many years....too many memories....and just not enough time. But I will make a valiant effort to work on that goal!
Shavua Tov!

In the meantime..........

Back to reality on this How Am I Doin' Friday.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to get a taste of what life can be for me.It was exciting and energizing and scar all at the same time.
That was yesterday.
Today I am in the here and now or what I like to call the "mean time". You know, when you are not quite where you want to be in that moment we say "in the meantime".
There is nothing wrong with the meantime. 
The meantime is exactly what it is supposed to be. I am where I am doing what I am doing and I am blessed to have all that I have.
Trust me, the temptation to bound off in a new and different is very real.
It is also quite unrealistic.
I have commitments. 
Commitments to my vendors, my family, my friends, my community and to myself.
I suppose I could turn my back on all of that and run off and join the circus. That's just not how I roll.
I see things through all the way to the end!
I can't ignore what I saw and experienced yesterday. Like a brass ring on a merry go round, it's hanging out there just waiting for me to grab at it.
Here's the thing, now I know it's out there. Now I have a vision as to where I can go. I will find my way. It will take some time and effort. My resources are finite. They must get prioritized and along the way, I will set aside some of them to help me make my way towards that brass ring.Eventually, I will find myself on the path towards that brass ring. As for now, I deal with the meantime!
Shabbat Shalom!

Breath!

I decided to give myself a bit of a break.
After a morning spent running around I came back to my desk and realized that I was racing from one thing to another. I devoured my lunch with out tasting it. I slammed down a cup of coffee ad then another and was just about to pour a third when I caught myself. 
I feel a little bit guilty about easing my foot off of the gas peddle. 
I have orders to chase after.
I have people to follow up with who have not responded to my earlier requests for information.
There are a plethora of loose ends that need to be tied up.
All of this can wait.
The orders will be there tomorrow. The people who have not responded to me probably won't get back to me until they are good and ready. And the loose ends can be picked up after I take a few minutes to myself.
I had a meeting today with someone who I had reached out to 3 months ago. 
After a number of emails, we had finally marked today as our first opportunity to meet face to face.
After months of preliminary conversations, I found myself driving to his office and questioning why I was even going.
I am literally standing at the door of an entirely new Journey.
Do I have time for this?
Do I need this in my life?
What makes me think I am qualified to even explore this?
The truth is,it's not a new Journey. It is most certainly the next part of the Journey that I have been on all the while. 
It will take me down a path that I most certainly have never ventured down before.
Again, I ask myself why?
Do I have the time , the strength, the ability, the resources and the commitment it will take to head off in this direction? What price will I be willing to pay?
What sacrifices will I ask myself to make?
What makes me think I can be successful?
I keep coming up with the same answer......
Hell if I know!
I just know that I can't stop myself. 
I have gone way past thinking about it. My hand has already grasped the door handle.
In fact, today, I turned the handle and pushed the door open. Now that I have seen what lies beyond the open door,I must go through it.
I am a little bit nervous.
I am a little bit afraid.
This I know is a good thing.
I am supposed to feel this way. 
It's called getting excited!
It's a good feeling.
Now I must learn to control my enthusiasm. 
I must harness my energy.
I must proceed in a smart fashion.
My history reminds me that anything worth doing takes time. I am approaching my 4 year anniversary since this Journey began. 
A lot has taken place along the way. The thing that scares me the most is that I now realize how much further I can possibly go.
I am excited about the possibilities and frightened at the same time.
And that's why I have chosen to take a little break for even a short period of time. I just need to catch my breath and find some focus.
Then I can get back to work and continue on my way.

Off and running!

The last time I wrote was on Friday,4 days ago. It seems like an eternity. Sometimes life just happens!
Saturday I spent the entire day at the shop.It was a long day and by the time it ended, well writing just wasn't in the cards.
This was the first Sunday in weeks where we did not have to make our weekly pilgrimage to South Jersey and I took full advantage of that. A huge piece of my Halloween puzzle finally showed up late Friday and early Saturday.It was something I have been waiting on for weeks. Not having it had me perpetually treading water,unable to move forward and losing precious time. Not having these resources put me way behind the proverbial eight ball.On Sunday I dedicated my efforts to trying to catch up as much as possible.One can never make up lost time. We can only take advantage of opportunities that allow us to catch up. That was Sunday ....which laid the groundwork for Monday. 
On Monday, I began chasing orders.
My hopes are that they still exist. Well that's not 100% true. I know they still exist.Some of the excitement I had generated earlier has dissipated. Some of the resources (open to buy money) has dried up.And some of the possibilities have been diverted to other priorities or opportunities. 
None of that matters. I find myself in the here and now with the ability to gather up as much business as I possibly can in the window that is still available to me.
Which means it's time for me to push and to push hard for the next few days.
I went about this pretty hard yesterday. Hard enough to feel spent by the end of the day. Today would be a good day to catch my breath.
 Well that's just not going to happen!
In fact, today I find myself in the position of doubling up on my efforts from yesterday. One more day is gone and that window of opportunity that I had has decreased by approximately 10%.
It is time for me to turn up the heat,internally at least, and keep this project moving forward.
That is my agenda for the day. Before I leave you I did want to share something that came up this weekend.It seems my writing on Friday struck a chord with a number of people. It seems,I was not aloe in feeling disconnected from my friends. It seems that I wasn't the only one weighed down by the doldrums of Winter.
It seems, that we are in fact human and not polar bears!
It seems we need each other.
In my book, that's a good thing!

Feeling blah............

I can't seem to find the correct word to describe how I am doing on this How Am I Doin' Friday.
Maybe maudlin is the word.
 The dictionary defines maudlin as: tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental.
I think it's pretty close (except for the tearfully part!).
Early this morning, in the darkness just before dawn, my thoughts swirled around the vast number of people who I haven't connected with or heard from in what seems like eons.
These people are scattered all across the country, no the world. They are in California and Florida and Israel and North Carolina and South Carolina and Arizona and Pennsylvania and Michigan and Maine and Australia and the U.K. and every where else one can imagine.
I miss hearing from all of them.
Tonight,our Shabbat dinner will be much smaller than usual. A number of our regulars have other plans  making for what one might call a much more intimate occasion.
Today my work space seems lonely. Just me,which is normal,however today it just seems lonelier.
The phones are kind of quiet. Looking ahead to the weekend, other than filling in as the bather at the shop, there are no plans.
I am on day 26 of my current 40 day cycle. his is just around the time when the program gets a little bit tedious. The end is still 2 weeks away. The weight loss definitely has slowed down and the food options have become just a little bit less than attractive, particularly in the cold weather.
Not having made it to the gym in a while is certainly playing a part in this.
That was probably an aha!statement!
It may be time for me to figure out how I can make some time in my schedule to get that back on track.
Any how....it's lunch time and there is not a stitch of protein for me to eat in the house, so I am off to the grocery store.
I'll pick up the rest of the fixin' for diner (I already have 3 side dishes going) and then get back to work. 
Maybe getting out for a bit will help to perk me up.
And maybe after I send this out some one might decide to reach out and say hello!
Ya never know!
Shabbat Shalom!

6:30 in the evening. 

Rarely do I find myself sitting down to write at this time of day. Well if not now then when?
Yesterday I finally received the support material I have been sitting and waiting to get for a few weeks now.
I immediately jumped on the opportunity to get started with it. It has occupied my time non- stop for the last two days.
When I say my time, I mean those hours of the day that are not already occupied.
This project will take up the majority of my time for the next two weeks.
Being busy is a good thing.
Being productive is even better! 
Hopefully my efforts will bring the latter!
Here is one thing I am sure of.....this project is my number 1 priority.
There is no fear or desperation behind my efforts.
I am driven by my commitment to this endeavor and my desire to see it succeed.
When I am entrusted to do something I feel empowered.
When given a task.it is as if the person who gave it to me has tacitly said "I believe in you!".
That is an unbelievable motivation to me.
When entrusted to accomplish a task, a mission or a project. the last thing in the world I ever want to happen is to disappoint those connected to it.
Most important to me is to disappoint myself. Anything less than my best effort would leave the door open to that disappointment.
I accomplished a good deal today. 
Enough to be satisfied for one day. 
Before I shut down for the evening, I will take a few minutes to assess what has been accomplished over the last 36 hours and make a plan for the next 24.
It kind of ties in to my #2 goal for the year.......1% better daily. Only right now,it's time to double up on my efforts.
Let's catch up again tomorrow!

Getting ready to make a move..........

I just wanted to take a few minutes to catch up. For some one who feels as if he is just treading water, I can't seem to find a whole lot of quiet time for myself.I have no idea where Sunday went to. Monday was spent moving my in laws into their new residence in an assisted living community. Today was a follow up visit with Loki at the vet.
Once again, none of this falls under the heading of being productive. I am happy to report that the move with my in laws went as well as it possibly could have and Loki has made some serious strides with his issues.It is actually quite amazing how the right care and medication can have such amazing results.
As I left the parking lot after work this morning I saw something that I had not noticed in the past.When I turn out of the drive way to the complex I work for, I find myself at the top of a hill. In the distance, I saw hills, actually mountains in the distance.These are the foothills to the Poconos and the mountains of Western New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. Somewhere in between the Palisades above the Hudson River and those peaks I saw in the distance is where I live.I live in a valley, nestled between some pretty extraordinary geographical entities.
My mind wandered back to the audio book I listened to last,Peaks and Valleys, by Spencer Johnson.I have always found it quite comforting that I lived in such close proximity to both the Jersey shore and the mountains that surround me in all directions.
Besides the peaks and valleys we experience,the author speaks of other land forms that we may  encounter.One in particular is exactly where I find myself lately.On a plateau.
A Plateau is defined as a land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side, and often cut by deep canyons.
It's not high enough to be a mountain top or peak,and it certainly rises above the floor of the valley below.Like I said,kind of like where life is for me lately.
A plateau is a good place to rest.
The terrain is level making the day to day challenges of life a lot easier.It is a place where I can regain my strength and regroup my senses.
It is also a place where I know I can become restless.
Once my body and mind have had there rest and I have regained my strength, there comes the inevitable hunger to achieve more and a thirst that must be quenched. Just staying on the plateau becomes an impossibility. I can see the peaks in the distance and I want to get there .
I know how awesome life can be on top of the mountain.
I also know that to get there, I must leave the plateau and make my way through the valley until such time as I can once again start my ascent.
It surely is comfortable here on my plateau.
It's just not where I want my Journey to end. 

Wow! 

It has been one heck of a week around here!
Staring with the situation with Loki on Tuesday, a blown tire on a bus filled with Seniors on Wednesday, a Winter storm on Thursday along with a whole lot of family drama, topped off with the check engine light popping on all of a sudden in that new car I just bragged about,the weekend could not have come at a better time.
I need to catch my breath!
I actually started writing this yesterday as my weekly How Am I Doin' Friday entry.
No sooner did I begin writing that I got a call to come help out at the Grooming Shoppe.
Before I knew it ,the clock was approaching 5:30 and withe guests coming for Shabbat dinner at 6:30, I went into top gear to get everything ready.
No matter how hard you try You can not rush roasted potatoes!
As is normally the case, I overdid it with the food on the table.There literally was not enough room for the main dish.
As we sat down to dinner, I took a deep breath and a moment to pause.
Then I said the blessings over the wine and the challah and every thing just slowed down.
The Sabbath....what a concept!
(I wonder how He came up with that idea!)
Today is day 20 on my current 40 day cycle.It has been a fairly successful cycle this time around,minus last night where I kind of had the wheels com off a bit.
 No big deal.
Today I dusted myself off and have picked up right where I was on the start of Day 19, choosing to ignore the damage done by last night's feasting.

Here is what is nagging at me today.
In all that got handled last week, I still feel like I did not accomplish anything. Professionally, the waiting game continues. There are conversations to be had and marketing plans to be developed and sales strategies implemented. However without participation from my associates and partners in these endeavors, any efforts to move any of this forward would be an exercise in futility.As I sit here today, I am looking back at what can only be described as a week of opportunity squandered.
While I can accept that and move forward, I find myself wondering for just how long?
How long can I sit and wait on others before my I start getting antsy?
As I have stated before,waiting is not my strong point.
Sitting on the sidelines is not a place I enjoy being.
I have been this way all of my life.
Passive participation is just not what I do.
No matter what my role is in any enterprise or undertaking, I always give 100% effort.
When I was involved in the theater, it did not matter if I was part of the ensemble (which rarely happened) or playing a lead,I was always all in.
The same applied in sports and music and on committees or social projects.
All in!
So sitting and waiting on others...like I said,just not something I do well.
I suppose this accounts for why I find "down time" so uncomfortable.
So I fill down time with activity which is a good thing. However once again picking up on a quote often used by one of my vendors:

"Don't confuse motion with progress"

-Alfred A. Montapert-

I am feeling the desire for progress.I will continue to wait for now.
How long I can do that is the million dollar question.

I know one thing,it won't be for too much longer!

Shabbat Shalom! 

Beep Beep.....

Did I happen to mention that I got a new car? 
Well it's new to me. It was also new to the original owner sometime around the turn of the century.
It's cranberry and rust. Cranberry is the color and rust is the condition. 
It's a four door and at least 3 of them work perfectly.
The heat works as do most of the lights.
 I drive around listening to the classic rock station,mostly because I can't figure out how to change to any other station. The clock feature on the radio works as long as I remember to subtract 18 minutes from the display (I can't figure out how to change the time either).
The interior is spotless.
The rubber is good and I put new wiper blades on yesterday.
(this is a good thing since it's snowing like crazy here!)
 Miraculously it passed inspection yesterday with flying colors.
 This morning,I set out in blinding white out conditions to my part time gig. The director of the Senior's program had said yesterday that she would let me know in the morning if we were running today. As it normally takes me 20 to 25 minutes to get to work, I set out early today given the stormy weather. Alas,it was all for naught as all activities were canceled due to the inclement weather.The good news is my all wheel drive 2001 Subaru Outback with 212,000 miles on it took on the challenge like a champ. As we watched cars fish tail and a tractor trailer jack knife we moved steadily along undaunted by the near blizzard conditions.
Now that's what I'm talking about!

Life is like the weather....!

Yesterday was a dark, dank dreary, rainy day here.
The phone call I was waiting for all day finally came at around 4:30 in the afternoon.Our Bernese Mountain dog,Loki, had been undergoing tests and x'rays. None of this was planned. It was an emergency visit to the vet after a very rough night with him.
At the visit, the vet expressed his concerns. In his mind, there were 2 possible diagnosis. One would have forced us to make a final choice for Loki. Fortunately,we were spared that. The diagnosis while not great, may be treatable. A plan of action has now been put in place.
Fitted with a new harness and starting on a new medicine , our hopes are that Loki can be more comfortable and enjoy his time with us as we enjoy our time with him.
It was a day filled with mixed emotions. As much as I tried to not think about the choice that may have to be made,or the outcome of the tests he was undergoing, my mind kept wandering.The fact that I had nothing to keep me busy did not help anything.
In the end, things worked out to what for now is the best possible outcome.
Today the sun is shining and the weather is unseasonably wonderful. It will be 60 degrees and absolutely gorgeous.
If I did not have a calendar on my desk telling me it's early February I would swear it was early April.
Loki is resting comfortably and for this moment in time, life is as sunny as the day is.
Not to be a pessimist,but just like the weather, things change and that can happen pretty dramatically.
So what!
Yesterday is a history lesson. Tomorrow is a promise that is yet to be filled. The only thing we can be certain of is what we have now, today, in the here and now. 
Enjoy it.
Treasure it.
Embrace it.
BTW.....tomorrow's weather forecast is for a Winter storm ,dumping as much as a foot or more of snow on us.
Maybe we can build a snowman!

Sitting and waiting........

My day got off to a rocky start and by late morning I had pretty much decided that I was not going to write today. However, I found myself sitting and waiting. Sitting and waiting for a phone call I am supposed to get. Sitting and waiting for an email I am supposed to get. Sitting and waiting on a number of different things.
Sitting and waiting. I am not one of those people who can't sit and wait. I just prefer to find other hi gs to do while I am sitting and waiting. 
So after doing the dishes,setting the dinner table, straightening up the dining room,prepping dinner for the oven and a myriad of other time filling chores, I decided why not spend a few minutes reaching out to you. 
My mind has been distracted by the phone call I am waiting on. Without sharing the details, I am finding it difficult to focus.
The email I am waiting on has me on hold from a business aspect.
Between the 2, my day seems to be a relentless conglomeration of clock watching.
The minutes are ticking slowly by and the day is slipping away one hour at a time.
I am not feeling very productive.And Maybe there is no need for me to be productive. Maybe it's a day to just get some stuff done while I wait.
That may be the best course of action today.
Trying to create something in a vacuum may not be very effective.
Letting go and just being may be the best thing I can do until it's time for me to do something else.
This is a very foreign concept to me.
However, I believe it is what's called for in this moment.

This is what is really important!

Selfishly I spent much time over the last few weeks and months bemoaning the fact that Becky my right hand every thing was leaving to have a baby. 
My world was being turned upside down.
I complained,I pouted and I may have even had a hissyfit or two (not really).
My complaining was all in good fun even though I knew there would be changes to my daily routine.
I was going to have to handle many things myself. My support system had been snatched away from me.
And I was going to have to become better at things that quite frankly I never had to even consider dealing with. Becky just handled them.
The one part of the equation that I did not take into consideration was pointed out to me in a text message I just received.
It kind of put the whole thing into perspective :

It made all of my discomfort go away in a flash!

February Word of the Month:

Recrudescence 

[ree-kroo-des-uhns]

Coming from a Latin term meaning "become raw again," recrudescence means "breaking out afresh or into renewed activity."I had to Google this. I wanted a word that connected to a new beginning.This one seemed perfect when I read it. Particularly the phrase "become raw again".
This seems to resonate strongly with me today.
After a week where I found myself trudging through the lowest points of this particular valley I have been working my way through, the connotation of the word raw is absolutely spot on.
I have scratched and clawed and done every thing I could think of,summoning all of my resources, to get myself through the valley and once again on the path to the summit.The experience has left me ,for lack of a better word, raw, or naked, or stripped.Whatever the word is, it's all good. I took on the challenge and prevailed, which is a whole lot more than merely surviving. 
I fought my way through the difficulties and now find myself once again at the beginning of my climb to another peak, another mountain top.
I am breaking out afresh,with a renewed sense of purpose and conviction.
I am tired.
Physically,mentally and emotionally.
Tired is a good thing. 
Eventually I will find a plateau upon which I can rest. Eventually does not mean right now.
Today, there is no rest for the weary.
Today is the time to move forward.
It does not matter how far, as long as I keep moving.
Each step,every inch,that I conquer will serve to separate me from the low points of the valley and move me ever closer to the mountain top once again.
Soon there will be time for a rest, a pause,along my Journey. I can almost picture exactly when that will be. For now, it will remain in the distance and my concentration will be directed only at what is directly in front of me. 
No looking back.
No looking ahead.
Just looking at the next step.
And then the next 
and then the next 
and then the next!
Shavua Tov!

Peaks and Valleys

How am I doing on this How Am I Doin' Friday?
Much better than yesterday!
I don't like the expression "I'm having a bad day".
I don't think in those terms. All days are good days.
Yesterday was a rough day and we all have them from time to time.
I had so much on my mind that I found it difficult to compartmentalize,separate and segregate them all. Instead, my mind had all the windows and doors wide open and things became overwhelming.
Overwhelming led to errors on my part,a lack of concentration and eventually to a crippling sense of ineffectiveness, that left me feeling emotionally raw. 
By mid to late morning, I was pretty much a basket case. In an act of bravery unlike any I can remember using in the past, I reached out for help. I just needed some one to listen. 
By letting out what I would normally have kept bottled up, I was able to work past my challenges and find a place of stability .
In a short time, I was once again steady on my feet and able to have a productive day,clearing my head and getting myself back on track.
It just so happens that on my 2 and 1/2 hour road trip to Pennsylvania on Wednesday I listened to an audio book,Peaks and Valleys by Spencer Johnson.
I highly recommend this (after you've read his book Who Moved My Cheese).
My life is no different than your's or anyone else's. Life is filled with peaks and valleys. Yesterday was definitely a valley day.
In his book, Dr. Johnson points out that valley days are learning days.
These are the trying times. The times when we test our mettle and use our resources to forge ahead en route to the top of the mountain.
When we sit upon the summit of our peak days, we have time to reflect. To appreciate what we have accomplished and where we have come from.
Valleys have rivers to cross and lead to steep hills to climb.
On the mountain top , we can better appreciate the blue skies during the day and the bright stars at night.
The very last thin I did last night was clear my desk top.With a clean desk and a clear mind I realize that I have made it through just one more low point in another valley and I am well on my way back to another glorious summit.
As excited as I am to reach the top, I am equally excited to be experiencing the Journey.
Shabbat Shalom!