The late Colin Powell was interviewed earlier this year.

The question: “You have been Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Of all the people you’ve met, what one person has impressed you the most?”

Answer: “My wife, Alma. She has stood by me and raised our kids while I was always gone. She also tells me when she thinks I have a bad idea.”

Here is my question for you, “Do you, husband or wife, appreciate the enormous contribution your spouse has made to the quality of your life?”

I see it happening every day in my life.

I hope you do too.

If not today, when?

THESE FANS AND OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD ARE SUCKING CARBON DIOXIDE OUT OF THE AIR!

Humans have emitted so much carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere that machines like this are being used to literally suck the gas back out, like giant vacuum cleaners, in an attempt to slow the climate crisis and prevent some of its most devastating consequences.

The verdict on this approach and its effectiveness remains to be seen.

Because the world’s nations still can’t agree on fighting the harmful effects of climate change, at least some scientists are making an attempt to do something while there is, hopefully, still time,

No one really knows if there is enough time to save the planet, but at least something is being done while government leaders agree to disagree.

It is a true crisis that affects everyone.

More efforts must be made.

If not today, when?

She was 18 and he was 45 when they met.

He was struck blind in a soccer game at the age of 12.

He, of course, became a world renowned tenor and she had already launched an acting career.

He already had two sons in a previous marriage

Although, he could not ever see what she looked like, he was captivated by her skin texture and voice.

They were married in 2014 and by the marriage day had a two year old daughter together.

She woke him up one morning crying about the terrible Haitian earthquake that killed so many people and left millions homeless.

She said, “We must do something” and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation was created to help the poor.

Veronica became friends with Andrea’s ex-wife whos name is Enrica Cenzatti.

Enrica attended the wedding of Andrea and Veronica.

Quite unusual and exemplary on the part of both women.

I guess with love, everything is possible.

In 1966, I was sent to the Pensacola Naval Air Station for officer training.

Every morning in the chow hall, I noticed a large number of fellow officers who were short in stature.

I realized they were young Navy pilots in training because they had to be short in order to fit into the cockpit of their A1E attack planes,

When the rest of us went off to classrooms, they climbed into the cockpit of their planes.

There was an aircraft carrier cruising in the Gulf of Mexico each day.

The young pilots had to fly out to that carrier and practice landing and taking off (touch and go) in all kinds of weather conditions.

After training, they were stationed on carriers in the Tonkin Gulf off Vietnam.

Senator John McCain (Pictured above, lower right) was one of those “Short Guys” who was shot down and held captive for many years.

Many of those “Short Guys” didn’t return.

True patriots, each and every one!

(A line taken from the song, IMAGINE)

The underlying message of the song is peace among nations.

It suggests a universal brotherhood of all people with no reason to dislike one another.

There is a current trend underway with democracies becoming dictatorships.

There are also some nations threatening their neighboring nations militarily.

Some 75 million people died in World War II.

Unfortunately, the weaponry today is much more lethal than those used in 1940 to 1945.

Still, some of us dislike people who profess a religion different than theirs.

Then there is the ongoing dislike of people in various ethnic groups or of different colors.

Another line in the song says, “Imagine there is no greed or hunger.”

The writer of the song admits that he is a dreamer.

But, you and I can make this world a better place simply by how we treat loved ones, friends and even strangers who may be different than ourselves.

If not today, when?

Yes, for each of us, there will come “A Time To Say Goodbye!”

When, Where, How, we don’t know.

But, we do have control over how we live while we’re here.

Will you leave the world a better place?

Will your loved ones know you loved them?

Will you have set an example for your children, if any, that will enable them to become role models for others to follow?

Have you kept the major promises of your life?

Did you use your God-given talents for worthwhile causes?

Thank God for the life you’ve been given.

If you’ve been going down the wrong path, there is still time to make the necessary changes.

Did you PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH?

The world doesn’t need another hypocrite.

Always be true to yourself.

If not today, when?

Our values seem to have come undone.

Here are some things we once held sacred:

TRUTH

We were told as small children, “Always tell the truth.”

Yet, LYING has become the way to get ahead.

And if you tell the same lie often enough, it seems to become the truth.

LOYALTY

We’re living during a period where employees are leaving their employers in huge numbers.

This pattern, of course, is causing bankruptcies and the closing of long-serving neighborhood businesses.

PATRIOTISM

Our politicians are putting their own selfish interests first while leaving PATRIOTISM behind.

They were elected to safeguard our DEMOCRACY, but they have other priorities.

A PROMISE

We were taught that, “A promise made was a promise kept.

Sometimes, people think a promise made is no longer in their best interest.

So, here we are with societal changes that threaten our future.

Is anything SACRED?

It’s a question we must all ask ourselves.

If not today, when?

No, you can’t take it with you.

So, how much of your earthly gains have you shared with those who need it?

We work hard to accumulate things throughout our lives.

Some of them are just necessities that we all need.

Others, however, bring prestige such as custom cars and impressive homes.

I think the main point of this blog is, “Are you generous throughout your life?”

What is your relationship with your THINGS?

If you’ve not been a generous person, you probably won’t become one on your deathbed.

So, now is the time to evaluate what you need and really don’t need.

It’s not too late to look around to better understand the NEEDS in your community.

There are many!

If not today, when?

 

To obtain success, we must endure FAILURE!

Let’s learn from the experience of Thomas Edison.

How many times did he feel like giving up along the way?

How many of us could fail even 100 times and continue on?

Do you have “THE GUTS” to risk failing in pursuit of a much desired goal?

Edison did.

He is, however, no different than the rest of us.

As my dad used to say, “He puts his pants on one leg at a time” so therefore he’s no better than you.

If you haven’t failed at something yet, you haven’t been willing to be a “Risk Taker.”

Life itself is a risk that we will return home safely each day.

Believe in yourself and summon the courage to pursue your dreams.

At least, we now have light bulbs to “Light the way!”

If not today, when?

There is such joy at the birth of a newborn child.

Such hope for the future of each child!

As the saying goes, “We are born to shine,” but not all of us realize that high aspiration.

What goes wrong along the way?

Perhaps the child grows up in an impoverished family that cannot provide the parental support system required in the early years.

Perhaps the child is brought up in an under-performing school system that can’t equip the child to compete for a decent job.

Perhaps internal strife between the parents traumatizes the child to an extent that they become depressed and anxious about the future.

Perhaps the child becomes greatly influenced by the wrong peer group and chooses the wrong path.

Let’s face it.

The joy of birth and the responsibilities of parenthood are two very different things.

And we’re always a parent who must always be available to our children whether they’re 5 or 50.

God bless the parent and the child!