“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” –John Lennon

This is something I’ve been feeling very deeply and with much regret lately. Having a toddler, time feels especially merciless. These first years of life are so important. There is so much that I wanted to do to make them more special, but there were other things–practical matters–that I carelessly gave precedence. I hadn’t given enough thought to my ideas yet. I lacked focus. Then I woke up one day and my daughter was a year and a half old. Dwelling on it long wouldn’t be anything short of counterproductive, though, would it?

“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” –Chinese Proverb

For the last few years this way of thinking has made a pretty big difference in my life. There are so many things that I wish I’d started doing long ago, but it’s never too late to start doing something you genuinely want to do.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore, Dream, Discover.” –Mark Twain

I don’t think I am anywhere near as daring as Samuel Clemens, but I can certainly see some great truth in this statement. I can also see that it could be dangerously misinterpreted.

“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” –Albert Einstein

Some people would disagree with this idea, but I’m not one of them. If you become a valuable person to a lot of people (or even one, really) then I think it’s safe to say you’ve succeeded in the process.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” –Steve Jobs

I think this quote had the most potential to help me in a big way many years ago, but I don’t doubt that remembering it could potentially help me in the future. I have a really bad tendency of being a yes man. I hate disappointing people.

Much more deserves to be written, but I don’t think I can stay awake long enough to make that happen.