This all began as a letter to my son and daughter, Matthew and Kristin. While I believe that a will is necessary, I also wanted to leave them some “pearls of wisdom” rather than just a cold legal document, after I had passed on. Back in the last century (I always wanted to say that), I began to jot down ideas on index cards while I was traveling on business and I soon discovered that I had not yet reached an age where I had truly gained a lot of wisdom that other people might find useful. While that may still be true today, I thought I had learned some very useful lessons along the way and I wanted to share them with my children.
Over the years, the notes started growing and at one point, I realized that they had become too long to place in one letter. I realized that they needed more clarification or “fleshing out” as my 9th grade English teacher used to say. This idea was born on that day.
I also realized that some of the lessons that I thought I had learned earlier, seemed to have somehow evolved over the years. It was then that I discovered that all of this could only be written after many years of experience; when I was relatively certain that what I was writing could actually be used, and more importantly stand the test of time. I also needed to have used this advice successfully on more than one occasion.
What began on a typewriter (remember them?), is now being completed on a laptop. If I don’t hurry, it will be finalized on a notebook or something that hasn’t even been imagined as of yet. Those monumental changes alone demonstrate how important it is to have a few solid, unchanging principles to carry with you throughout your life’s journey.
It is my fervent hope that you will find these lessons useful and maybe, even bravely apply one or two of them to your own life. I pray that they will make some sense to you and become a part of your unique story while journeying on this remarkable, tiny blue and white orb we temporarily call home.