Kirk Weisler - T4D

Kirk Weisler publishes the Thought for the Day (T4D) via email and invites one to blog with him, except he does not post other than about every other month. I won't hold that against him. :-) His T4D is a daily gem.

I re-print his posting today in its entirety. You can sign up for his T4D on his web site.

"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."
- Unknown


Happy Birthday !!
Today my wonderful wife, Becky, turns a whopping 33 years old!!
WOW, she's really getting up there!! : )

Becky has always advocated the philosophy that you don't get a year older, but a year better. Truly she does get better and better with each passing day, month and year.

I remember thinking when I married her that she was incredible and wonderful and that I wouldn't want to change anything about her. I have even teasingly accused her time and again of being a “Mary Poppins” Mom…and of being “practically perfect” in every way.

Fortunately the idea of her not needing to change anything was my idea and not hers. Not changing would be very boring for her, in fact, if Becky had chosen not to change, grow and become she wouldn’t have been happy, and if she wasn’t happy then she wouldn’t be Becky.

To live in a world where she wouldn't change, and grow and become even more than she was the day before…would be to live in a prison. I am sure that most of know people who have made the choice not to change or to grow and have imprisoned themselves in lives of mediocrity, sameness and stagnation. Their lives seem to be devoid of any real joy, light or positive energy. Genuine humor and laughter have been replaced with cynicism, sarcasm and dark crass humor that is filled with innuendo or a spirit of fatalism. There is an extremely popular PC game called “Half-Life, and it seems that many of our population are tragically choosing to play their own version of this game living lives far below what is available to them.

Since our marriage 14 years ago Becky has changed, and many of those changes have been fairly significant. To see her grow and to respond to her example of growth is one of the greatest inspirations of my life. I am constantly amazed at her seemingly tireless efforts to improve herself as a mother, a wife, a citizen and a saint. One of the many fruits of such growth is energy. Responding to her energy and enthusiasm invites my own growth and development, and increases my energy as a result. It is a wonderful cycle that continues to lift our lives and bring joy and positive energy into our family.

For her Birthday Becky’s biggest desire was for books. Books primarily on parenting and raising families with a few requests for Biographies and books related to our religious faith. I’ll include her list at the close of this T4D. Picture with me if you will me having the kids helping me to wrap all of these books for their Mom… You can guess that I was really making sure that they noticed how much their Mother loved learning and reading. We talked the whole time we wrapped those books about the example that she is to our whole family of developing a love for life long learning and living in a state of becoming. It was great fun to give Mom her books and to see Becky get excited about each one, and as a parent it was especially exciting to see how closely each of the kids watched her excitement for learning and for life.

Our example to our children, to our families, and to the world around us is constant. The question is not whether or not anyone is watching, the question is what are they learning as they watch. The question is not whether or not we are getting a year older, but are we getting a year better. The question is not why do I feel so tired, depressed, lousy or angry…but what can I do to feel more energy, engagement, enthusiasm, passion and joy? There are many answers to this last question….but let me mention just three.

Get Going Again by Getting Growing Again!!
Serve Someone Today without thought of reward or recognition…do it anonymously
Express Appreciation or Gratitude to a co-worker or family member. Be Specific, Be Genuine…perhaps you might write a note and leave it on their keyboard.

I read an article the other day that said that the waves from the Tsunami actually rippled completely around the cape of South Africa, the South Pole and came up into the Atlantic ocean and were measurable all the way to the shores of Greenland! I believe our lives and the choices we make each and every moment of the day create such ripples whose effect and impact literally travels around the world. We don’t, however, have to leave a path of destruction in our wake.

Instead of living below our potential or living a “half-life”, we can choose like Becky to live life fully, to learn constantly, and to love completely each step of growth on our life’s journey. This is her legacy…this is her life, and the effect it is having on the world around her is only partially visible to the conscious eye of the beholder. But instinct, experience, intuition, and common sense tell me that the ripples of her example, like our own, are endless and infinite.

Happy Birthday Becky…thank you for your life, your love and your leadership in our home and in our world.

Love Dad, Brittany, Jacob, Joshua, and Brooklyn Joy

ps Becky’s Book List
1. 10 Secrets Wise Parents Know Brent L. Top & Bruce A. Chadwick
2. The Peacegiver James L. Ferrell
3. The Book of Nurturing – Nine Natural Laws for Enriching Your Family Life by Linda & Richard Eyre
4. Christlike Parenting by Dr. Glenn I. Latham
5. 6 Events by Stephen Covey
6. The Bruce R. McConkie Story by Joseph Fielding McConkie
7. America’s Hope –Why Every Other Civilization Has Failed and What You Can Do to Save This One by Douglas E. Brinley
8. The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith By His Mother by Scot Facer Proctor


Make it a great day, it's your choice!

Kirk Out (Hey Blog with Me)