We’ve been planting some flowers recently. We got some green spike plants that are about ten inches tall to put in the middle of the pots of flowers. As we planted them, we looked at each other and laughed because the last few winters we brought the spikes inside and now those “baby” spikes are about five feet tall! Those spikes grew so big because they received the right amount of what they needed to grow and flourish. In other words, we nurtured them and what you nurture thrives. We see that nurturing is also important in the animal kingdom, with human relationships and even with business.

Have you ever had a day like this? It was nice and sunny and we were going to plant some flowers. We got the bags of dirt outside, together with the pots of flowers and planting tools. Then suddenly, the storm clouds came out and it started to pour. We quickly brought the plants and planting tools back inside. This cycle happened several times during the day. Just when we were ready to give up on our planting plans, the weather calmed down, the sun came out and we were able to go ahead with our project.

What is your self-talk? What are you saying to yourself? I had some self-talk that gave me exactly what I was asking for. I was feeling overwhelmed and working hard. I said, “I really need a break! And I need a trip!” Well, I got exactly what I asked for – imagine that! One day, I went out to water the flowers. On the top step, I got my “trip” and I fell right down on the hard sidewalk. Guess what else? I also got my “break”. Doug says it was a ”two for one.” My humerus bone was broken and he says I didn’t see that as too humorous. Correct! It wasn’t humorous but I got the trip and the break. So, definitely be careful what you say. What I learned is to clarify exactly what I want.

Don’t wait! “Don’t wait for what?” – you might be wondering. The story that follows points out the importance of not waiting. A few years ago, I (Lynn) had been out of the office on a retreat with some colleagues. We had a great time together. There was a woman on the retreat who was such a bright spirit and I enjoyed her company whenever we were together. After the retreat, I asked her if I could stop in her office for just a minute. I told her she had a beautiful spirit and what a positive difference she had made in my life. I let her know she had also made a big difference in the lives of others. She was grateful and really happy to hear what I said and that made me happy, too. The next morning I was shocked to receive a message that she had passed away during the night from an asthma attack. She was only thirty years old. How sad – but I know her wonderful spirit still lives and the goodness she spread in the world also still lives. I was glad I didn’t wait to share how much I appreciated her. We are wondering, for you, are there messages that you are holding inside and not spreading? We encourage you – don’t wait until it’s too late! Get those messages out!

We had something happen in the house that got our attention. We heard a “chirp”. At first we ignored it, thinking it was a bird outside. We heard it again and we wondered, is there a bird in the house? When we heard a chirp again, we realized what it was – the smoke detector. It was giving us a clue that the battery was running low. We replaced the battery so we would be safe and protected. You probably have heard the stories of peoples’ homes burning down and even lives being lost because their smoke detectors weren’t being maintained. That’s sad because those tragedies were preventable. It’s important that we maintain our homes.
Just as it’s important to maintain your home, it’s also important to maintain your body. We know that batteries can be replaced but it’s not so easy to replace your body. A good mentor and thought leader, Jim Rohn said, “Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live”. That saying is so true.

Every day we are given one thousand four hundred forty to spend in any way we see fit. We’re not talking about money, we’re talking about the number of minutes we have in each day. Michael Altshuler said, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot”. That’s true and time does really seem to fly. Do you notice how children can easily get bored and feel like time is moving slowly but as people get older they talk about how time seems to go faster and faster and they can’t get everything done? Whether you are younger or older, and no matter how slowly or quickly time seems to pass, what’s true is each day is a gift and you can use it or lose it. Here’s a meaningful quote that hangs outside our office door:

Doug asks, “What is the strongest mammal that currently roams the earth?” I didn’t know so he follows up with, “I’ll give you a hint,” and then he finishes off with some strange sound by blowing hard through his lips. (To get the full sound effect, check out the short video related to this column.) When the children were little, he taught them to make the same sound. Imagine the noise on road trips with Doug and the kids all blasting out that strange sound at the same time!

I guessed that the strongest mammal is not a whale, especially since it doesn’t roam the earth. “True” he says, “I might have given a poor imitation, but the right answer is – the elephant. If you have ever watched an elephant at a circus, maybe you noticed that he had a little chain around his leg and it was attached to a small stake in the ground. You might have wondered why the elephant, who can lift tons, didn’t just pull that stake right up and walk away.