He Was Not Alone
“Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.” – Albert Einstein
About a week ago, I attended a funeral mass for a friend whose father passed away. My wife is traveling, so I went alone.
The church itself was simple and beautiful, and the Christmas decorations gave it even more life.
He Was Not Alone
After the Mass concluded, one family member spoke from the pulpit and described the final moments with his father …
“His hospital bed was surrounded by family, and although he seemed to be asleep, he knew we were there. He knew he was not alone.”
This story reminded me that family is far more important than the trivial stuff that sometimes occupies my mind.
Not So Important Stuff
Later this month, I will hit 57 years of age!
What happened to time!
When in my 20s and 30s, I really thought “retirement age” was so, so far away.
As I sit here and write these words, it is nearly staring me in the face!
A few months ago, I had a weird calmness come over me. That is, I really didn’t care if some business opportunities went by the wayside.
While I want to excel in my current work, I no longer desire to pursue bigger and better business opportunities.
Why is that?
You see … the funeral mass reminded me of something I already knew … It’s time to focus on what really matters to me … family, friends, calmness, tranquility, and so on.
As a business owner, I know what it takes to increase sales. I can create more innovative services and work tirelessly to market them.
However, to make this happen, I need to borrow time from the stuff that really matters to me … and I am no longer willing to do that.
Moving Forward
In 2025 and beyond, I want to make sure to follow a game plan, and it starts with “Let go and let God.”
There was a time when I thought I was in complete control of my future. In fact, the 1,000+ hours of self-help books taught me that “If it is to be, it’s up to me.”
I’ve learned that this statement is not 100% true, and this is where Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, and Anthony Robbins were wrong.
In my life, things have happened that I had little to no control over, and the results were very unfortunate.
What can I control?
Well, I am writing this newsletter on Sunday morning, which is the day I am often inspired to do it. There is something special and beautiful about a very early Sunday morning.
Once done, I will have one hour to complete my Peloton ride, and I will break a very good sweat!
Thereafter, I will put on my church clothes and head to the Church of the Holy Spirit.
The beautiful thing about today is the opportunity to serve as a hospitality minister.
It’s so refreshing to recognize the beauty gained by serving others … yes,
“Let go and let God.”
See you next week, my friends!
Inspiring Quotes
“When things change inside you, things change around you.” – Unknown
“Let go of the thoughts that don’t make you strong." – Karen Salmansohn
Homework Inquiry
During the next week, here’s your homework inquiry: What does peace mean to you?
I use this opportunity to share with you a unique story and a couple inspiring quotes. Oh ... as a professor at heart, you guessed it, I have a homework inquiry for you. This is a powerful question that might just trigger you to take action on something that really matters in your life. If you feel the Catalyst Newsletter brings benefit to you.