My son, Dayne and I drove out to Saguaro Lake this afternoon for lunch, and as we drove, I remembered all of the times, back, all of those years ago when Earl was still alive, and we’d go to the Lake to have lunch, or enjoy an afternoon on someone’s boat. I commented to Dayne that one of the many things I miss about having Earl, physically alive, in my life, is the way Earl was always in the present moment, and always ready to explore and experience life!
Earl was an early riser - - always popping out of bed with a great idea to write about and share with his many followers, so by mid-day, he was ready to shut off his typewriter, go to lunch and go off to “seize’ what was left of the rest of the day. I loved that each day I shared with Earl began in the same secure and loving way, but how it unfolded was always new and surprising, and totally unpredictable.
Many years ago, Earl and I were living in Florida. It was February and it had been raining for days. This one particular morning we got up at the usual time, had breakfast, and were sitting at the kitchen table lingering over coffee. We were listening to and watching the pouring, pounding rain outside, when Earl calmly announced that he wanted to play golf. I mused that, considering the weather conditions, and the predictions of more to come, playing golf was definitely out of the question.
“Well, the sun is shining somewhere”, he smiled. “Let’s chase it down.”
It took a couple of days, a few phone calls, and some hasty packing, but we battened down the hatches and headed west to Scottsdale, Arizona, where Earl was just certain I would love it! Love it we did, and before our trip ended we had stumbled on to an adobe home that sat high upon Mummy Mountain, and had, in that moment of discovery, contracted to buy the home and made plans to move across the country.
I remember us laying in bed that night and laughing at what we had done, what we were going to do, and wondering how in the world we were going to sell our place in Florida, do all that would have to be done, and mostly, how we were going to explain our unplanned move to our family and friends, but we knew it would all work out . . . and in time and a lot of hard effort, it did.
Earl was eighteen years older than I, but in so many ways, he was so much younger. His ideas, his zest for life, his eternal optimism, and his crazy sense of humor made him one of the youngest men I have ever known, and today, as we drove through the desert, I couldn’t help but realize from my reflections and recollections, that without Earl as my tour guide and his constant navigation of our destination, I sometimes, allow my life to become a much more serious adventure than it should be. I realize that at times, in recent years, I, too often tune into the chaos and suffering of the world – situations that I feel incredibly saddened by - - wish with all my might I could change, yet over which I have no direct control; and that, I, at times, have allowed myself to focus on the misfortunes of others, to the degree that I have allowed situations out of my realm, to steal from me the ability for appreciation of the blessings that I am given, which are sent to me to balance out my own misfortunes. I also realized that this is what most of us do.
Being New Year’s Eve, I could have made a plan to begin at mid-night, but instead I began this afternoon to rededicate myself to “seizing the day” and living in the “today” and “now” of this moment and not putting it off until, tomorrow, anymore.
Maybe it’s just the time of year – that time when we all make “New Year’s Resolutions” to change our lives - - “starting tomorrow” that got me to thinking side-ways as we drove along. It’s just too funny when you think of it. Tomorrow never comes. It’s always today wherever we are, and when we go to sleep at night, and it’s still “today”, and when we wake up - - surprise! It’s “today” again! Just a continuation of the journey we started on another “today” that is now referred to as “yesterday”. A “present” that became the “past” while we were sleeping. It’s the great conundrum of life – why we would place all of our dreams, our hopes and expectations in a destination that can never be reached, while standing in the very location, and in the very moment, in which all things are possible - - the present!
The emphasis that is placed on a “brighter tomorrow’ takes us away from the reality that our hopes and dreams will only be and can only be realized, in the “today” that is being experienced, right now.
When we rise after we sleep tonight, the dawn will bring a bright, new, fresh opportunity to continue to grow, to change what needs to be changed, and most of all to seize what is left of the time that is given to each of us.
Earl wrote over 7,000 radio programs through the years, which were broadcast around the world as, “Our Changing World.” In more than fifty-years, since he started writing those programs, our world has changed - - indeed, but his messages have remained timeless, meaningful and inspirational, because Earl never lost his belief that all was well with the world, and that it is we, not others, who make the reality in which we live.
For many of us, the past years have brought abrupt change to our worlds - - some for the better and some, we regard as having changed things for the worse. While in reality, that’s - - just life. Looking back, we can choose to embrace memories with joy, or choose to feel regret for those that bring us sadness in the remembering, but we cannot, in our remembering, change what is over and done, we can only effectively direct what we wish will be from now on; and somehow, no matter what, we must believe that it always works out for the good.
Earlier tonight, I stood on the balcony outside of my little home/office and watched a breath-taking, beautiful sunset. Now, sitting in my office, I look out and where earlier, all I could see was the outline of mountains and a blazing sunset, I now look through the darkness, into the far distance, and see the lights of Scottsdale, Tempe and Phoenix, shining and sparkling in the night, where the drama of several million lives is being played out.
Right now, in this moment, in scattered places across the cities, babies are being born, while at the same moment, loved ones are passing on. People are saying, “I love you”, and others, “I hate you!” There are tears of joy and tears of sorrow being shed; questions being asked as to why one deserves such incredible happiness and love, or why such loss and sadness can come into a life and snatch away all of the joy. But right now, in this moment, regardless of who we are or what’s happening in each of our lives - - happy or sad, we are all cloaked under a beautiful starry sky, and if I listen, I can hear the night birds calling.
We do live in a parallel world where joy and sadness reside at all times, and it is up to us to decide which we choose to see. Doing our best to make a positive difference in the world, and helping those given us to help when we can, and then walking in faith and looking to the starry sky does make a greater difference in the pain and suffering of the world, and brings a greater peace and contentment to all, than searching out the distant lights of the city, and seeing only the pain and suffering and trying to figure out the “why” of it all. Being at peace ourselves enables us to bring peace to others.
On the subject of the “meaning of life”, Earl used to say that life is “a journey into meaning”, and that it is up to us to bring whatever meaning we want to it. “We are co-creators with the universe - - that’s what we are!” he used to say.
I see examples of the “meaning of life” in every second I live and in each one I see that it always boils down to the choice of how we deal with any situation, or in other words, how we look at it. (Another of Earl’s favorite subjects: Attitude.)
If you were to ask me why I am able to live my life with a minimal amount of concern and worry, it’s because I believe that God has a plan for each and every one of us; that while we may live our lives in ways that may be foreign to our plans, or we find ourselves walking paths that we have never consciously mapped-out before us, I truly believe that we are where we are supposed to be - - at all times - - doing just what we are supposed to be doing . . . according to “His plan”. But, most importantly, I have found peace in the realization that we do not have to know why - - and that my dear friend, is the mystery of life and the one, which has been examined from every direction, but will never be solved to the satisfaction of most.
What we make of our “journey into meaning” as Earl put it is really a matter of choice. We may choose to either look down or look up. To look backward or forward. To walk in fear and sadness or run the path before us with open arms, in faith and positive expectation, toward a better today that arrives on the wings of each new sunrise. Attitude changes the way we experience what happens to us in life, not the events themselves. Adding any amount of love, peace, joy, and harmony to life is the only thing we can do to ease the suffering of the world - - our tears and feelings of despair do not end sorrow and pain, but simply add to it.
When I hear the night birds, I think of that wonderful song that was taken from a passage in the Bible, and written by Civilla D. Martin. In part she wrote: “His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me”.
I find peace knowing that His eye is on me . . .and each one of us.
May the New Year that stretches before you us this night, find with the sunrise in the morning, that you have made peace with your past, are contented with your present, and are filled with joy in the possibilities of your future.
And in all things, may your journey be blessed!
Happy New Year and thank you for your business this past year, and for your continued support.
