Each Day is a Gift.....

Roast of the Day: Medium

Can you believe that we are actually approaching the Christmas season in a couple of months? As such, I thought it only fitting that I blog about gifts.

Can you remember the excitement of Christmas back when you were a child? The anticipation of opening the gifts under the tree was almost unbearable. It didn't seem to matter what the gift was back then....only that someone loved us enough to wrap up something in pretty paper and give it to us. We would tear into that present with wild abandonment. We weren't concerned about saving the pretty wrapping paper or the bow. We just wanted to see what was inside the wrapping paper. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, we grew up...and opening presents became more of a tradition or ritual. We started neatly unwrapping the outer paper and folding it up, perhaps saving it for another use.

Our excitement and anticipation over the gifts has become diminished and our reactions to the gifts is, at best, predictable. Pleasantries and gratitude are still communicated, but true feelings and raw emotion are seemingly all but gone from the experience.

You've heard it been said that "each day is a gift." Well then, I wonder....how are you opening that gift each morning? Has it become a ho-hum ritual for you each and everyday? Do you neatly fold back the pretty wrapping paper and say your obligatory 'thank you' - all the while waiting for your next gift to be opened?

I, for one, believe we need to capture our childlike excitement once again. Imagine if we could wake up each morning and open our gift with the wild abandonment of our youth. Who knows what type of day is wrapped beneath that pretty paper, but the One who loves us and gave it to us.....Carpe Diem!

When was your last "I-exam"?

Roast of the Day: Medium Roast

I recently posted a summary of this blog on my Facebook "thankful" posts, but I still believe it is worth a read...

I still remember the day in the fourth grade when I received the news that I needed to get eyeglasses. Our class had just taken the mandatory eye exam given by the school nurse, and I guess I failed (I should have been listening closer to the person reading off the chart in front of me). Anyway, I remember coming home from school in tears, realizing that this one event was going to change my life forever. Okay...I may have been a bit over dramatic at the time, but what can you expect, I was in the fourth grade.

What I failed to realize at the time was that those eyeglasses would vastly improve my vision. It wasn't until I put on these new glasses that I truly understood how bad my vision had been. For any of you that have experienced this phenomenon, you know what I'm talking about. Everything instantly became clearer and crisper. I could make out all of the jagged edges on the leaves of the trees, my perspective of things seemed so much clearer, and even the colors seemed more vivid. At the time, it was hard for me to believe that I hadn't noticed what I was missing earlier.

I believe there is quite a parallel here to our faith. Many of us are walking through our daily lives in a blur and we don't even know it. We are so used to 'seeing' things from our current perspective and we are missing out on the perfect 'vision' that God can provide. When we make the decision to put our faith in Christ, it's like putting on those eyeglasses for the first time. Our 'vision' becomes so much clearer and crisper, which transcends all areas of our lives.

As I am learning, however, we cannot simply put on our first pair of eyeglasses and be done with it. Over the past 40 some odd years, I've had to continually get my eyes re-examined - because over time, my eyes grow lazy and my vision slowly deteriorates. Without those eye examinations and my new prescriptions, I would slip back into settling for vision that is less than perfect. So, I believe, it is with our faith walk.

If we want to continue to make a difference and 'see' things through God's perspective, we must take the time for our own 'I' exams. These 'I-examinations', as I have labeled them, should be things that challenge us in our walk, such as getting involved in a local church, becoming part of a small group, a commitment to read God's word, a mission trip, any number of things that will push us to 'see' the heart of God with more clarity and get His perspective.

So, I will leave you with this last thought to ponder, "When was your last 'I-exam'?"

Wisdom comes in small bites...

Roast of the day: Medium

What is wisdom? Can one equate intelligence to wisdom, or is wisdom something more?

I believe wisdom is the discipline of choosing the right path every time we are confronted with a decision. There's no doubt that intelligence can play a role, but it is by no means synonymous with wisdom. I've met highly intelligent people that have made some very foolish choices.

I once had the pleasure of hearing the well known author, Ken Blanchard, speak at a conference. He gave an amazing statistic regarding the number of decisions that each one of us make on a daily basis. Although a few of these decisions may be significant in nature, the vast majority of our daily choices could be labeled as mundane, or insignificant. If you're anything like me, you probably devote a great deal of energy and thoughtfulness into the major decisions that confront you - but what about the little choices? What about that car merging onto the interstate in front of you? Do you demonstrate courtesy and allow them to merge, or do you speed up to make sure you end up in front of them?

What if we all took the time to consider every decision we make and ask the question, "Will this response make the world a better place, or a worse place?" I know this may seem like a trivial exercise in some circumstances, but I truly believe it is a discipline worth pursuing.

Through discipline and discernment, we can exercise our ability to make the right decisions. With each right decision, we grow incrementally in wisdom.

A person does not become wise overnight. No, wisdom comes in small bites...

Gotta Work on My "IFs"

Roast of the day: Medium

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

If you're someone that is familiar with the Bible, I'm sure you probably recognize this passage. Like many of you, I've read these particular verses countless times. It's a Scripture passage that is both a proverb and a promise. It wasn't until recently that God revealed a new insight to me that I wanted to share.

Like many of the promises found in Scripture, this passage can really be broken down into an IF - THEN statement. If we trust in the Lord with all our hearts...If we don't depend on our own understanding...If we seek Him in all we do - Then He will direct our paths.

I think there are too many times that I want the "then" without the effort of the "if." I find myself asking God to help guide me or direct me in an upcoming decision without fully examining how I've been fulfilling my "if" requirements. Have I been trusting the Lord with ALL my heart? Is it possible that I've been leaning too heavily on my own knowledge and understanding? Have I truly been seeking His will in ALL I do? This is not legalism - this is showing love and devotion.

Lord, help me work on my ifs, before expecting the promises of Your thens.

A Leadership Proverb

Roast of the day: Medium

What does it take to be a great leader? There are entire books written on the subject. There are seminars and conferences devoted to answering the question. Yet, to me there is one overarching
principle that points to a great leader and it's this...

Success Shared. Blame Beared.

The basic idea behind this leadership proverb is that to be an effective leader one must be willing to share credit with his/her team while at the same time take personal responsibility when things don't go according to plan. My feeling and experience is that leaders mastering this skill will find themselves surrounded by a team that is "sold out to their cause." In my opinion, this is a key factor in effective leadership.

Unfortunately, it seems that as leaders we mess this up far too often. It's so easy to want to pin the success of a specific outcome to our chest or place the blame on the team when something doesn't go right. If you find yourself in a leadership position, try to remember this little proverb. I think it will serve you well.

Don't let the mundane pass you by...

Today's Roast:  Medium

I have to start out by owning up to the fact that I am never going to be an everyday blogger.

There, I've said it. Although I'd love to scratch down my thoughts on a daily basis, it's really hard...not only to find the time (albeit I admit it's a bit easier for that during our current circumstances), but also figuring out content. I'm not sure I have enough interesting or deep thoughts to ramble on about.

With that said, I am going to try to commit to posting a blog on a weekly basis. However, you must understand that this is coming from an ENFP (for those of you that are Myers-Briggs aficionados) and a 7 (for those of you Enneagrams out there). In other words, my full intention is to keep up this this blog, but my follow through may be a bit lacking.

Now, onto the mundane.

Prior to our current circumstances, or if you happen to be one of the many essential workers that must actually go to the office or factory...perhaps you can relate to this post.

If any of you have a lengthy drive into work, it can become rather mundane. When I used to work in Maple Grove (for 28 years), every morning - Monday through Friday - I would drive virtually the same route to and from work. The commute would take roughly 35 to 45 minutes each way. Many times, if I was on the phone or listening to the radio, I could arrive at my destination seemingly on autopilot.

One morning, as was typical, I was driving my regular route, listening to the radio, busy with the thoughts of the coming day. Suddenly, I received a tap on my shoulder...."Look around you. My beautiful creation is all around you - and you are just passing it by." Obviously, this wasn't a physical tap on the shoulder - but the feeling was just as real. I turned off the radio and just began taking in all of the wondrous beauty that nature was displaying around me. The sun, the trees, things that I had driven by hundreds of times seemed new and fresh. I was amazed at how much I missed everyday on my drive into work...just because I was busy in the mundane.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating that we not pay attention what we're doing behind the wheel and drive with our heads out the window. But there is something to that old adage that we need to "stop and smell the roses." Take some time and notice all of the amazing creation around you. Don't let the seemingly mundane pass you by...

The Anticipatory Theory

Roast: Light to Medium

Years ago, a colleague of mine and I had recently returned from a business trip in Florida. Our local sales representative there had played host during our visit and we had the pleasure of meeting his wonderful family. While having dinner together one evening, I seized the opportunity to pontificate on my theories of time and LRPs (My theory of time...and the introduction to LRPs and A stitch in time). I was intrigued and pleased to hear some of the interesting ideas that both our sales representative and his wife had on the subject. I thought I'd share a bit from that discussion.

If you've been a faithful reader of my blog, you know that I have a few theories on why the passage of time seems to accelerate as we grow older. However, after my discussion with my friends in Florida, I must admit that there are probably quite a few other theories that deserve investigation. One of the main ideas we discussed during that dinner revolved around child-like anticipation. Thus, I have coined this as the Anticipatory Theory of Time.

The basic logic of this theory is that time will seem to pass slower when we are anticipating something of significance to take place. Do you remember as a child when your parents announced that the family would be taking vacation to Walt Disney World during Easter break? The months leading up to that planned vacation always seemed to take forever. Why is that? Even as an adult, I have experienced this same phenomenon as we plan our annual family vacations to Door County. It seems as if the anticipation of the upcoming event acts as a catalyst for slowing down time, at least in our minds. Granted, I have not taken the time to ponder the full effects of anticipation - but I am intrigued by this new theory (I realize it's actually more of a hypothesis than a theory, but allow me some grace).

Perhaps when considering your next LRP (Life Reference Point) event, you should consider planning it well in advance. By combining both the ideas of LRPs and the Anticipatory Theory, you may find that slowing the passage of time is seemingly possible - at least on a relative basis.

Take time to sharpen...

Roast: Medium Dark

I believe Spring is finally upon us. If you believe the calendar, the official first day of Spring was back in March, but it hasn't felt consistently "spring-like." However, the past two days have been nice. The temperature supposedly reaching into the mid-60s tomorrow is one indicator, but to me, the far greater sign of Spring is the return of the bird songs.

I decided to take advantage of the warm weather today and yesterday to do some walking. As I stepped outside, I was amazed at the chorus being sung. I couldn't believe how loud the bird songs seemed to be...it was as if hundreds of birds were busy announcing their return and it was wonderful.

As I took the time to listen and enjoy the moment, it occurred to me that these same birds have probably sung their choruses throughout the past summers, only I don't ever recall hearing them like this in June, July or August. I believe this is probably because with all the added activities, commotion and other noises that come with the warmer weather, we become dull to hearing these beautiful songs. It's only after the long and quiet winter months that our senses are sharpened such that when a day like today comes around the music is overwhelming.

This is not unlike the Christian walk, where - over time - we can become dull to many different facets to which we were once sharp. I don't want to be dull. I want to hear the birds singing their songs throughout the summer, and I want to be prepared for whatever God has in store for me. I want to make sure I take time to sharpen....

Living with A.D.D. (just not that A.D.D.)...

Today's Roast: Light

Quite a few years ago, I was having some real issues. I was having to come to terms with the realization that I had A.D.D.  Oh, I'm not talking about Attention Deficit Disorder - which is the common definition of that acronym. No, I'm referring a much more (a-hem) serious affliction. Although this was admittedly self-diagnosed, I was quite convinced that I was suffering from Age Denial Disorder.

I think it probably started more than a decade ago. I had decided I would join one of our church's softball teams. When I was younger, I used to play on a number of competitive teams - and although it had been about 16 years since I had played, I figured I could just jump right in. The problem was (and continues to be) that my psyche is a lot younger than my body. My mind would tell my body to do things the way it used to...diving for fly balls, showing up to the ball park to play a double-header without any stretching, trying to stretch a single into a double...the list went on and on. Needless to say, more often than not during my last 3 seasons playing, I was riding the bench due to a sprained ankle or torn hamstring. In retrospect, I can see that it's all because of Age Denial Disorder.

That was a decade ago and now I'm in my early 50s. At one point along the way, I even seriously considered purchasing anti-wrinkle cream....what was happening to me? I've heard experts claim that the first step in overcoming a disorder such as this is admitting to yourself that you have a problem. At the time, I didn't think I was ready for that step. But then reality woke me up... I figured that once you no longer bother trying to pluck the gray whiskers from your facial hair because you would basically be shaving with a tweezers...you know it's time.

I think I've since embraced this disorder and I am happy to say that it is no longer an issue for me (except maybe when I play competitive sports). Might be the main reason I've become more interested in golf lately....

Coffee and blogging...

It has occurred to me that blogging can be like coffee. Just as there are different types of roasts (light vs. dark), there are also different types of blogs (whimsical, humorous vs. contemplative, thoughtful).  It is for this reason, I am going to now endeavor to categorize all future blog posts for those of you who share in my ramblings.

All future entries will include a "Roast" description at the beginning of each post. A Light Roast will refer to a post that is, as I have stated earlier, on the lighter side - more carefree and perhaps even humorous. A Dark Roast will indicate an entry that is a bit more contemplative or thought provoking. This "roast" description will provide a quick glimpse of the content matter for the reader - allowing them to decide whether they want to take the time to engage with the post or not...

If you have read any of my previous blog entries, you have no doubt realized that I'm partial to more reflective type ramblings (Dark Roasts), but I will do my best to mix things up a bit in the coming months.

I enjoy writing and this outlet has proven to be a fun and interesting means of sharing some of my random thoughts. I also enjoy reading the comments of those who have stumbled upon my blog - so I encourage your feedback.

Grab a mug and settle in...I'll do my best to keep posting.

Getting the right perspective...

Perception is reality. Think about it. Although I believe that truth is absolute, especially as it relates to my faith and core beliefs, it seems to me that one's perception of a truth, or a situation, defines that person's reality.

There's an older movie that I watched a few years back called Vantage Point. I believe the movie's premise illustrates my point. The characters of the movie all witness the same event, but from different "vantage points." Because of their differing perspectives and perceptions of what has taken place, each character's reality of the situation is a bit different.

I know this truism also plays a role in my life. As I perceive different situations at home and in the workplace, I'm sure that I react according to the reality I've created. But what if my reality is not shared by others involved, what then? I submit that this is how many misunderstandings and conflicts get started. How then, can one be better equipped to handle such situations?

Getting the proper perspective is essential, both in life and in specific situations. If our perception is indeed our reality, it would follow that we should take great measures to insure that our perspective is accurate. The old adage of putting yourself in someone else's shoes, or looking at the issue through their eyes holds true. We could all benefit by Dr. Stephen Covey's fifth habit of "Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood."

If our 'vantage point' was different, would we react in the same manner...?

Time: Predator or Companion...

Written in my original blog posts years ago....

Recently, I've taken some time to catch up on some movies - one of the advantages of Netflix. A dialogue towards the end of one of these movies really resonanted with me and some of my recent posts, so I thought I'd share a few of these thoughts.

One of the characters in this particular film made the statement that "time is a predator that stalks us all of our lives." My initial response after hearing this statement was to agree with the character's evaluation. It seemed to make sense to me. Time, the ultimate antagonist, stalking each one of us, moving ever so quickly, while we try our best to slow its pursuit.

However, in a later scene in the movie, another character offers his view point on the forementioned subject. "Time is a companion that goes with us on the journey. It reminds us to cherish every moment, because they will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived." What a sharp contrast this is to the first character's seemingly dark outlook.

It's amazing to me how God can speak to our hearts, even through secular entertainment media. Most of you would probably laugh if you knew the source of these two statements, but I am thankful for the perspective they provided.

Are you living as if time is your predator, or your companion?

A stitch in time...

If you've read my post dated February 18th, you were introduced to something I refer to as Life Reference Points, or LRPs. The basic premise of this thought process is that as we get older, we tend to have fewer reference points in our lives by which we can recall events and/or memories. This blurring of time causes us to feel as though time is passing by faster and faster. The remedy to this phenomenon, as stated in that post, is to create Life Reference Points (LRPs) which can help the mind better segment the events of our life, and thus virtually slow down the passage of time (in theory).

In this previous post, I outlined a suggestion for how one might create LRPs. However, after further thought on the subject, I wanted to elaborate on my suggestion. It seems to me that simply taking more family vacations (or whatever you decide to do) in and of itself is not the answer. I believe there is a missing element to this line of thinking, mainly our senses.

God has given us five senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch. Integral to each of these senses is the mind. As stated before, I am in awe of how hearing a specific song can transport me back to a previous point in time, flooding me with memories of that event. Similarly, I believe a specific aroma or taste has the power to do the same thing. Our senses can help create virtual time stamps in our minds - which I believe are a required element in creating effective LRPs.

Obviously, this is just a theory I am exploring, but I am under the impression that for a Life Reference Point to be effective, it must be tied to one or more of our senses. Whether this be a visually awesome event, such as viewing the Grand Canyon, or simply hearing a specific song on the radio while driving through Door County, it is these virtual time stamps that will allow your mind to easily recall the event (LRP).

A small thing...

Many years ago while on a flight to Columbus, Ohio, I noticed a man in my row reading the Bible. As I used to travel quite a bit, I would always find it encouraging to see others reading Christian literature - especially the Bible. Many times, I would try to strike up a conversation with these individuals. However, I remember that as I watched this particular person, it struck me that he seemed very distant and almost unapproachable. His body language and the permanent scoul on his face made me wonder about my own demeanor.

I never did manage to speak with the gentleman, so I do not know context of his situation. Perhaps he was going through a very tough ordeal and looking for encouragement or comfort in his reading.

The experience made me ponder about how others see me. Granted, we all have those days when things are not going well - but it's tough to be a "light in the darkness" if we can't show a bit of joy in even the mundane.

It may seem like a small thing...but I for one believe that a smile can be very powerful. It has the ability to welcome others into conversation, and it can even help lift one's own spirits. My thought for the day..."put on a smile, and see what happens."

My theory of time...and the introduction to LRPs

I wrote this blog post originally back in 2008, but I thought I would re-post. I have often thought about writing a book about this idea - and in fact last year I started one (intro and beginning of chapter 1), but I don't know that I have the patience or fortitude to complete an entire book...we'll see. So, for the moment, enjoy this blog re-post:

Growing up, I always remember hearing my parents talk about how quickly time went by. But as a kid, time seemed endless to me. Days and weeks would pass by slowly and years felt like an eternity.

As an adult, I've quickly come to realize what my parents were talking about those many years ago. It feels like only yesterday that my wife and I were beginning our life together and starting a family. But the reality is that we have a daughter about to enter her teen years, and our baby is almost 8. Why is it that time seems to accelerate with age?

I'm sure many of you have pondered this same question. And sure, there are probably countless simple answers as to why this occurs. However, I have come up with my own theory to explain this phenomenon, which I will do my best to try to elaborate.

The premise of my theory revolves around something that I've termed as "Life Reference Points" or LRPs for short. Life Reference Points are defined as significant events that take place in ones life. As such, these LRPs become a time stamp or point of reference for your mind, allowing you to recall specific memories and relate them to a specific time. As children, we had the luxury of built-in LRPs in the form of schooling. We could reference almost everything that happened to us by what grade we were in during that particular time. However, as we get older, Life Reference Points are few and far between. Sure, there are weddings, graduations, births, etc., but it seems that the day-in and day-out of everyday living seems to all meld together. I believe its this "blurring" of time that causes us to feel as though time is passing ever so quickly. Thus, it is my conclusion that if we want to slow our perception of time, we must create new Life Reference Points in regular intervals. By doing so, this will effectively provide our minds a chronological perspective of time.

One of the best methods that I've found for creating LRPs as an adult is to plan yearly vacations as a family. Besides the intrinsic value of spending time together as a family, I've found that these vacations can help segregate the years and create reference points for the other events in my life.

Obviously, this is just one person's theory, but I believe there is some validity to these thoughts. If you feel like time is moving too fast, maybe you need to create some LRPs.

Large is the new small...

I posted this quite a few years ago, but it still rings true today.

A former co-worker and I had met up for lunch and as most days, I wanted to keep it fast and simple, so we opted for Wendy's (I must admit, I'm addicted to their chili). Usually, when I eat at these places, I go through the drive-thru and only get a sandwich or chili and bring it back to work. That day, however, we decided to eat in. Because we were taking a little time, I also ordered a salad and drink. When asked what size of drink, I immediately answered "medium" - as I thought a small would be....well, not enough fizzy beverage to satisfy my thirst.

To my utter astonishment, the woman behind the counter proceeded to dispense about a half gallon of diet pepsi into a cup about the size of a barrel and put it on my tray. I could barely lift the tray. Equally amazing was the fact that my friend, who ordered a small drink, received what appeared to be a large, in my opinion. At least that's the size I remember it being when I was younger.

I can't help but wonder when America made the decision that a medium soft drink at a fast food restaurant needed to be the size of a super big gulp (remember those from the 7-eleven days). I believe they were called Super Big Gulps for a reason.....nobody could finish them without feeling bloated.

Needless to say, I finished the soft drink, but you can bet I'll be previewing the cup sizes before I order next time. I cringe to think what would have happened had I ordered the large.....I'd probably still be sitting in the restaurant sipping on that beverage. If I can offer a bit of wisdom - order the small.

Coffee for dummies...

Normally, you will notice that these blogs to be more reflective in nature. However, in this particular installment, I thought I'd take a little sabbatical from that type of post to provide a bit of an education.

It occurs to me that many of you may not be versed in the finer points of coffee, which happens to be a passion of mine. For this reason, I am offering up a short course to the novices out there who may be confused over the wide array of drinks available at your local coffee shop.

Coffee 101

Let us start with coffee. Most of us know that coffee comes from beans that are harvested and roasted to varying degrees. It used to be that you only had to choose between regular and decaffeinated. However, today there are also choices dealing with roast - such as dark roast or light roast, and region - such as Sumatra or Columbian. In many ways, a coffee bean is to coffee as a grape is to wine. Even the descriptions of some coffee flavors (a smokey, robust flavor with hints of cherry) almost sound like something you would find on a wine list. Suffice it to say, if you're a coffee drinker and you've only tried Folgers, you need to expand your horizons. One last little note on coffee. Contrary to what many believe, if you are looking for a stronger "pick-me-up" in the morning - get the light roast. Light roast coffee contains more caffeine than dark roast coffee. This is due to the fact that the roasting process actually extracts the caffeine out of the bean. Thus, the lighter the roast - the more caffeine (in most cases).

Espresso 101

Espresso is the term given to a "highly concentrated" coffee. It is produced by expressing (or quickly passing) water through a finer grind of coffee bean. Espresso is also the base to many of the other popular coffee drinks available today. When I started serving as a barista in the cafe' at our church, an explanation of the espresso drinks was given to me that I think is very helpful. Basically, all of the specialty drinks start with 1/3 espresso. Its what you add to the espresso that determines the drink. I've outlined a few of the most popular ones below:

• Espresso - Nothing added
• Latte - 1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed milk
• Cappuccino - 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, 1/3 frothed milk
• Breve - 1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed half-and-half
• Americano - 1/3 espresso, 2/3 water

There are obviously many variations on these drinks including mochas, macchiatos, flavored lattes, etc., but this is probably enough information for Espresso 101.

I hope this little foray into one of my passions provided a bit of knowledge and fun facts. However, if this post has managed to bore you to sleep - may I suggest a large mug of coffee (light roast, of course).

The power of music...

I have decided to start blogging again....:)

In order to get my "feet under me" as it were, I've decided to refresh and update my original blogs from over a decade ago. I figure there are probably quite a few people that never had the opportunity to read these - or if they did, wouldn't remember them anyway. So...here we go...

On my way into work quite a few years ago, a familiar song came on the radio and... *poof* ...just like that, I was transported back in time to a day that past October. It was a sunny, yet brisk, Autumn day and my wife and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin. As I listened to the song, all of the fond memories of that October day flooded my mind. (I thank God that He created us to multi-task or I may have needed to pull over)

That experience made me ponder the overwhelming power that God created in the seemingly simple art of music. If you will, think about it with me for a moment. Music has the ability to do, or be, so many different things. A song can be a prayer offered or a means of praise and worship. Music can also have the ability to motivate one during a work-out (especially if it has driving beat). Certain songs can comfort, encourage and even speak to the soul, while others are simply good for relaxing and/or meditating. And, as eluded to earlier, specific songs have the uncanny ability to draw the mind back in time to a specific place or event. What a treat we have been given by our Creator.

I think this is why I have such a strong draw to all different types of music. I've been told many times that with all the 'noise' in today's world - we need to sometimes separate ourselves and plan for silence. I still believe this is a good practice, but more often than not, you will find me with some sort of background music playing. Maybe its because on some sort of subconscious level my mind is trying to create 'virtual time stamps' so that I can experience moments like the one I had on my way into work that morning so many years ago.

Regardless, I'm thankful for the power of music