"Today We Sailed On"

There are some days that I feel are completely and utterly wasted. It doesn't matter if you are the caregiver of small individuals, suffer with health concerns that limit your mobility, are in what you consider to be a "dead-end job" or any other frustrating situation that prevents you from feeling accomplished, you must agree that we occasionally share that sensation.

I was having such a day when I heard a broadcast on TV from President Thomas S. Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that he delivered on January 13, 2009 and it changed my thinking. You can view it also @ www.byub.org

He cited possible scenarios such as I mentioned above and then quoted from the journal of Christopher Columbus. Surely Columbus bore the weight of tremendous responsibility and the burden of great expectations from many, including himself. Yet, what must have seemed to be an endless, day after day, view of nothing but water, he managed to keep his goal within reach. The journal entry read simply, "Today, we sailed on."

At first glance, one might consider his day wasted. They didn't accomplish any great feat. Then, I got to thinking, he faithfully continued on in his pursuit and that was no small act. As long as we keep moving in the desired direction, we improve our chances of sooner or later, reaching our destination! If we strive to be the kind of person we want to be in a patient, hopeful and diligent manner, we cannot go wrong.

I continue to have days that I accomplish little, but I am mindful of good ol' Christopher Columbus ... that my day DOES matter, that I matter and those I associate with matter in the broad scheme of things. I do the best I can and end the day with a smile on my face and the words floating in my head, "today, we sailed on".

You have to keep moving ... it makes it hard for the vultures to land!!