Publisher’s Message – January, 2013

| January 1, 2013

Well, if you are reading this, the end of the world didn’t arrive on December 21st and we all can look forward to the next prediction of doom and gloom that most assuredly will come around again.  Although I had no doubt that we would all still be around, I did contemplate the “preparedness” part of the end coming. When our pastor at church wrote an article (December issue of People & Places) about how our souls should be prepared and not so much physical supplies, it hit home. No one knows when the end will come and it made me stop to think how unprepared we all are. If the end did come tomorrow, would we be prepared? We’re all guilty of the little venial sins we commit on a daily basis; Be it gossiping, impatience in a grocery or bank line, failing to forgive, using bad language or just being unkind to our fellow neighbors. They all take us away from God’s grace. With the New Year upon us, “preparing” for the end should be a New Year resolution we all should work at.  So instead of just resolving to lose weight or exercise more, I’m vowing to be kinder, more patient, more thoughtful and caring and especially more forgiving. Could I afford to lose a few pounds? Of course, but I think I’d much rather lose the bad traits and prepare for the end when it finally does arrive.  (By the way, I found it amusing that the U.S. government felt obliged on their official website during the week of “the end” to state, “Scary rumors about the world ending are just rumors.”)

You might have seen this one on the internet before, but if not, here’s an “Interview with God.”  Author Unknown

With my newly acquired title as a journalist, I decided to strike a high note. “Come in,” God said to me, “so, you would like to interview Me?” “If you have the time,” I said.

He smiled and said: “My time is called eternity and is enough to do everything; what questions do you have in mind to ask me?” “None that are new to you. What’s the one thing that surprises you most about mankind?”

He answered: “That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again. “That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.

“That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.

“That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived…”

His hands took mine and we were silent. After a long period, I said, “May I ask you another question?”

He replied with a smile. “As a Father, what would you ask your children to do for the new year?”

“To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. What they can do is to let themselves be loved.”

“To learn that it takes years to build trust, and a few seconds to destroy it.

“To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but who they have in their lives.

“To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. There will be others better or worse than they are.

“To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

“To learn that they should control their attitudes, otherwise their attitudes will control them.

“To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.

“To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.

“To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do not know how to show their feelings.

“To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.

“To learn that while at times they may be entitled to be upset, that does not give them the right to upset those around them.

“To learn that great dreams do not require great wings, but a landing gear to achieve.

“To learn that true friends are scarce, he/she who has found one has found a true treasure.

“To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they forgive themselves.

“To learn that they are masters of what they keep to themselves and slaves of what they say.

“To learn that they shall reap what they plant; if they plant gossip they will harvest intrigues, if they plant love they will harvest happiness.

“To learn that true happiness is not to achieve their goals but to learn to be satisfied with what they already achieved.

“To learn that happiness is a decision. They decide to be happy with what they are and have, or die from envy and jealousy of what they lack.

“To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different.

“To learn that those who are honest with themselves without considering the consequences go far in life.

“To learn that even though they may think they have nothing to give, when a friend cries with them, they find the strength to appease the pain.

“To learn that by trying to hold on to loved ones, they very quickly push them away; and by letting go of those they love, they will be side by side forever.

The adventures of Tips, Tiny and Tank.

If you’ve been reading the Publisher’s messages, you’ll know that we’ve adopted in the past couple of months Tips, a dog, and two kittens named Tiny and Tank. They have been a real handful to say the least, but also a joy to have around. I’m definitely laughing and smiling more and as I’ve said before, their cuteness is overpowering to the point I’m struggling to get things done. But that’s not the end of the story, we have added another animal in our zoo by the name of Sweetie; a pure breed Labrador who was rescued from abusive owners when she was a puppy. Sweetie is almost two years old and is appropriately named as she is the sweetest dog you’d ever want to meet. She is the total opposite end of the spectrum from Tips as she is low-key and he’s high energy. They are a good mix as she is getting the needed exercise she needs to lose a couple of pounds and he finally has someone he can chase after besides the cats.  They are all getting along famously. The first day I took Sweetie for our daily walk with Tips, he walked right next to her as if he was showing her around the neighborhood and saying, “This is where we walk, this is where we poop, this is where we stop and stare down the neighborhood cat.”  Sweetie is fitting right into the clan and doing well. Here’s our first Christmas portrait together with our new added family members.

Happy New Year Everyone!  Please remember to patronize our local merchants and advertisers this coming year. Dollars spent close to home help our local economy and keep businesses open.  God Bless America!

The Piltaver Family Christmas with new members Tips, Tiny, Tank and Sweetie
  The Piltaver Family Christmas with new members Tips, Tiny, Tank and Sweetie

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Category: Letter By the Editor, Opinions

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