Good morning to you all from this little corner of the Band!
If you happened to see it, 2009 dawned here in Central Ohio with a shimmering curtain of high wispy clouds bathed in pink, purple and rose.
What a great start to the new year!
Did you have fun last night? Did you watch the ball drop in Times Square with your best friends and family? Are you glad to see 2008 pass into history?
I’m sure you said a few times “Happy New Year” to those around you last night. I did. This morning I paused to ask myself what exactly did I mean by that. Was it a wish for them to somehow luck into enough good fortune to call 2009 a “happy” year? Was it simply a reflex? An expression drained of any conscious meaning through years of repetitive use, like often when I say “Happy Holidays” or “Good luck.”
Or “How ya doin’?” (Do I really want to know?)
How in the world is this going to be a “happy new year?” All the pundits and prognosticators are deep into the gloom and doom gig. You know, “mass hysteria, dogs and cats living together…You thought 2008 was bad? Just you wait.” You’d think 2009 was DOA. Dead. On. Arrival.
That kind of… *ahem*… “stuff.”
By the way, this is the same crew that missed the meltdown last year, so let’s not buy in too fast to what they’re selling us now.
So, how will this be a “happy new year?” Here’s a suggestion from my alma mater, sent to me early today and offered to you for your consideration:
Let’s you and I make it one.
Let’s you and I throw some stones and pebbles and maybe a couple of honkin’-big rocks into that pond Chet wrote about recently. Let’s make some ripples happen. Heck, let’s go ahead and MAKE WAVES!
RESOLVED: To be fully awake and aware. To keep this list in mind:
The most destructive habit……..Worry
The greatest joy…….Giving
The greatest loss…….Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work…….Helping others
The ugliest personality trait…..Selfishness
The most endangered species…..Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource…..Our youth
The greatest “shot in the arm”……Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome……Fear
The most effective sleeping pill……Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease……Excuses
The most powerful force in life……Love
The most dangerous pariah……A gossiper
The world’s most incredible computer……The brain
The worst thing to be without……Hope
The deadliest weapon…..The tongue
The two most power-filled words……”I Can”
Do you need some help? You got it. The Band of Builders is at your service. We’re all here, ready, willing, and able to help you make it the best year of your life.
So far, it’s been the best of mine.
BUILT TO LEAD 