Preamble

“We all come into and go out of this world in the same way. The destination is the same. The difference is in the journey. Some make full use and enjoy it, while some don’t.”

         This insightful quotation by an Unknown Author crystallizes in a few well chosen words the true meaning of life and living in this world. Life is indeed a journey that we must all undertake. We have no control over when our journey will begin and equally, no influence on when it ends, but in between these two points we are left, to a greater or lesser degree, to decide on the details. As the quotation suggests, if we take the time and effort to make full use of the opportunities available, life becomes fulfilling and rewarding. But if, for whatever reason, we do not do so, we pay the price in pain and disappointment.

         Far too often, many of us spend our whole life in cautious anticipation, afraid to step out in the light for fear of being blinded, or cross the road for fear of being knocked down, and we arrive at the end of the road with nothing to show. We look back at our bleak and barren landscape and feel only regret for our wasted life, and then lament so many lost opportunities. Whenever this happens, it is yet another fulfillment of those immortal words by the famous American author, Louis E. Boone:

“The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions:

Could have, Might have, Should have.”

         But this should not be, nor was there any intention that this should be the case. This life, a precious gift from the Almighty, was given to us to make full and complete use of the opportunities available. It is most certainly not, as William Shakespeare will have us believe that, “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets its hour on the stage and then is heard no more.” If this were so, then we are no different than any animal without reason, which is born, lives its cycle and dies and is then replaced by another and then another.

As I have stated previously in my book entitled “Life is for the Living,” I see life as “a journey of learning available to all who are granted the opportunity to travel. You may choose to accept the opportunities and grow in stature, or you may choose not to do so, and drift along in blissful ignorance.” Further, I believe that our life on earth is merely a segment of a life that began in eternity and continues into eternity. If this were not so, then everything I believe of God and his kingdom cannot be true, and my life then, is no different than that of the lowly animal.

         At birth, we all begin our journeys with a clean slate. There is no road map nor is there a GPS available to give us direction. This comes only from what we are able to learn along the way, and that depends entirely on what we are taught, and on what we acquire on our own. For the lucky few who are born with an inherently adventurous and a daring, inquisitive spirit, this will come easy, but for the others, those formative years during which personalities develop, will be crucial to determine which road is eventually chosen. The person whose early years are filled with positive and forward looking influences will evolve into an adult full of confidence and stability, prepared to experiment and take chances. The other however, brought up in an environment of fear and caution and discouraged from taking chances in life, will spend the rest of his life drifting along in mediocrity. This is the person so effectively described by the American author, Grace Hansen in these terms:

“Don’t be afraid your life will end;

Be afraid that it will never begin.”

         It is precisely this aspect of life and living that has occupied my on-going interests for as long as I can remember. Nothing in this world has fascinated me as much, and nothing has taken up more of my spare time that the study of people, their life and their living. I have already published the first two books (“Life is for the Living”, and “Slices of Life”) in my trilogy on this topic and will be publishing the third and final book within the next few months. When this is completed, I would have completed the task I undertook, to express as much of myself as I can on this topic of Life. To me, Life is a gift from God given to us to enjoy and to make the most of, for as long as my time allows. It was not meant to be locked away in a closet, but to be used to the fullest and in the using, to do the best you can for yourself and for others. In this respect, I have always admired that simple but dramatic quotation by an unknown author which says it all:

Life is a game, play it;

Life is a challenge, Meet it;

Life is an opportunity, Capture it.

         As I see it, there are the three aspects in life that man consistently seeks to conquer. They are Life itself, Living it, and then Understanding it. The more knowledge we acquire, the better is our quality of life and the happier our living will be. With this in mind, and at the urging of my son, Ted and my nephew, Chris, I shall offer a series of short essays on these topics. They will be based on the contents of my books and as with everything I have written, will represent my personal views and beliefs. I would welcome any comments or discussions on them and will be happy to respond.

My sincere hope is that you will find them helpful in formulating your own views and beliefs.