It’s been a while since I have last written and by no fault but my own. It could be said that I lacked the courage to persevere, to write even if I felt that what I had to say may not bring value.

By the blessings of some good friends, I realized I must get back on that horse, so, here we go, even though this may not be strictly “marketing” oriented.

Albert Einstein had a great quote on courage, “The ideas that have lighted my way and, time after time, have given me new courage to face life cheerfully have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth.”

I identify with Mr. Einstein, especially recently, as I have learned of the illness of a good friend of mine, someone I have sung with on many occasions and whose courage I appreciate. The doctors have diagnosed that she has cancer in many parts of her body, and as she prepares, both physically and mentally, for the grueling regimen of chemo treatments and radiation, her courage stands tall as a bright beacon in a dark night.

She writes of her hope that if just one person decides to start a healthier lifestyle, or give up cigarettes, or live each day more fully, she can be content with this new path in her life. She says that there must be something in this disease she can learn from. Although she has lived an incredibly healthy lifestyle, the randomness of cancer demonstrates that anyone, at any time, can be facing this same battle.

It is through her courage, her kindness and her beauty I am reminded that perhaps it is I who is to learn something from the malady that invades her body. I pray I am a good student.

Live each day as if it were your last.

David