This is a great video about one man’s experience during 9/11. He talks about how the events of 9/11 changed his life.

“Every exit is an entry somewhere else.” —Tom Stoppard

What a joyful, hopeful thought. Stop mourning for the past and start rejoicing in the now. Look around you and find the opportunities in the present.

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why they call it the present. —Eleanor Roosevelt

And here I thought Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda made this up by his own, enlightened, animated self. A tip of the hat to Mrs. Roosevelt—I didn’t know she was a Kung Fu First Lady.

Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful…. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment. —Eckhart Tolle, “A New Earth”

Destiny… divine providence… good/bad luck. Depending on your philosophy/religious beliefs, you’ll choose one of those as the origin/cause of your current situation. You can rail at the situation you may be in, or you can accept it and be at peace—your choice. Regardless, it simply is what it is. What are you going to do about it?

This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now. —President Thomas S. Monson, “Finding Joy in the Journey”

I love and respect Thomas Monson. He is a good man and a worthy example to me of a life well-lived. I believe him to be a prophet of God.

If you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have. Of course, there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.” We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.

Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. —President Thomas S. Monson, “Finding Joy in the Journey“

Yesterday I expressed my gratitude to numerous co-workers for what they have taught me.  Honesty. Responsibility. Integrity. Humility. Respect. Thanks to them—the lessons learned and examples shown—I’ll move forward… better.

As others have noted, much has been said about President Hinckley over the past couple of weeks. I’d like to add my thoughts.

In Numbers 11 is one of my favorite verses in the scriptures:

“…Would God that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” (verse 29)

Moses said these words thousands of years ago, but in recent times President Hinckley put it this way during the General Conference in which he was first sustained as prophet and leader of the Church:

Now, my brethren and sisters, in conclusion I wish to leave with you one thought which I hope you will never forget.

This church does not belong to its President. Its head is the Lord Jesus Christ, whose name each of us has taken upon ourselves. We are all in this great endeavor together. We are here to assist our Father in His work and His glory, “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Your obligation is as serious in your sphere of responsibility as is my obligation in my sphere. No calling in this church is small or of little consequence. All of us in the pursuit of our duty touch the lives of others. To each of us in our respective responsibilities the Lord has said: “Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5).

“And in doing these things thou wilt do the greatest good unto thy fellow beings, and wilt promote the glory of him who is your Lord” (D&C 81:4).

Further, “And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father” (D&C 81:6).

All of us in this great cause are of one mind, of one belief, of one faith.

You have as great an opportunity for satisfaction in the performance of your duty as I do in mine. The progress of this work will be determined by our joint efforts. Whatever your calling, it is as fraught with the same kind of opportunity to accomplish good as is mine. What is really important is that this is the work of the Master. Our work is to go about doing good as did He.

Per his wish, I have not forgotten the above passage. How could I? Even now, as I reread the talk this passage comes from, This is the Work of the Master, I am buoyed up and inspired by President Hinckley’s counsel. The tears that I’ve managed to choke down since his passing flowed as I read this talk again.

This world has seen much of false prophets. The media, often interested in exploiting the fantastical and outrageous in life just to scintillate viewers and keep their advertisers happy, provides a disproportionate amount of air time to them. Consequently, I fear, the word “prophet” has taken on a negative connotation in the world. What a shame. Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was a good man of God. He was a prophet.

I’ve known people who, through word and deed, helped me to feel the Savior’s love. President Hinckley was such a man. He inspired me to be a better husband, a better father, a better son of God. I pray my life, as limited in its circle of influence as it may be, might be as good and well-lived as Gordon B. Hinckley’s.