You get what you get and nothing more

Summertime has many advantages that as we cross the line from season to season and enter the more back to normal and busier fall time there are many things I’ll miss about summer 07. At the top of the list is catching up on a favorite author or good book. My birthday was last month. Back in August I celebrated the birthday that officially places me into the ‘40’s’. I make little noise about my birthdays any more. I haven’t for a while. Glad to still have them, means I’m still with all of you and those I love. The fact that I get another year older is more cause for relief than celebration. So when the calendar nears my date, I say a quiet prayer of thanks and move on. That being said my sons either because someone reminded them or they’re getting a better memory gave me a book I’d being eyeing for some time. Mitch Albom’s latest read is entitled ‘For One More Day’. It’s been out a while. Just hadn’t picked it up yet and my sons saw it as an ideal gift for me to ring in the big 4-1.

It was Labor Day weekend when I caught a patch of blue sky and had time to open ‘For One More Day’. From the start the writer takes you on a journey in the life of a former ball player. The account leaves the reader with the decision to ascertain its truth and credibility. Regardless of whether you take the account as fact or fiction, the point made through the book is timeless, enduring and powerful. I’m not a book critic, this column isn’t about book reviews. I recommend book titles I enjoy but clearly it’s my opinion. There are columnists in this paper and others far better qualified to dispense information on the literary scene. That aside I wanted to go over the point of the book and encourage you to borrow or buy a copy.

Albom poses the question many of us may have thought about as we trudge the journey through life. What if you had the chance to have just one day, one more day with a lost loved one? In this 24 hours what would you want to know? What wrongs ( if any ) would you want the chance to make right? How would you spend your ‘one more day’ with this person who has moved on? Pretty heady stuff. With all we have going on today you’re probably thinking you have enough to worry about more pressing than living in an imaginary world. But just consider Albom’s premise for a moment. First imagine who you’d want to spend your day with. The main character in Albom’s book is a former athlete that gets a 24 hour visit with his deceased mother. Which person in your life would you select? Once you have that person in mind what would you want to accomplish in your ‘one more day’? I appreciate Albom’s vision. I took from the book that in life the time we get with those we love, friends and family, is the time we get. We get what we get and nothing more. Now clearly this is obvious to most of us, we go about our lives knowing the hand we’re all dealt. From even our earliest age most of us get that you have a certain amount of time, you make of it what you can then you’re called home. Despite this simple fact Albom points out without saying so that if that’s the case why do we get so caught up in life’s little details and miss the big picture as just mentioned? Autumn is here and we’re often getting back to a more normal state of life’s business than in the past few months and weeks. Who in your life deserves a call from you? Who would you like to maybe share a meal or walk with and go over some important matters that’s on your mind? Albom’s advice, worthy and valuable is make the most of this time you have because unlike the book, none of us are guaranteed that one more day. We’re neither guaranteed one more day for ourselves or those we hold dear.

We’re heading into a busy time of year. Best of luck on your trek to make solid connections with those you love and enjoy many more days of happiness and fulfillment. See ya around town.