What path in life are you taking?

Today I ask you to take a look at yourself. No, not in the mirror but at your hearts. I have been watching my thoughts and my actions pretty closely and found that I have much to learn. I need to tune my ears closer to the wisdom that is offered by others who have insight and knowledge of the good that surrounds me. We have free will and can pick out what’s true and fair. Wisdom and knowledge are pleasant companions while common sense will help us travel the right paths and keep us from following the bad directions of the lost! When we aren’t paying attention to our hearts, we will find a lot of detours and dead ends. When we listen to our hearts and learn from really true friends we will find all the good trails.
Listen for the good in everything that you do, everywhere you go. You will stay on track. Don’t ever assume you know everything because there is so much more to learn! Earn a reputation for living well by doing well. Run from the ones who tempt you to do the wrong thing because they will only bring you into that maze of detours and dead ends. Don’t give that smooth talking temptress a second thought because it will only distract you from looking forward and only tempt you to join them on the path to nowhere. Don’t walk around with a chip on your shoulder. The ones who are straightforward are the ones who get respect.

Never walk away from someone who needs help. Don’t tell someone “maybe later” or “next time” when you have a pocket full of money or the time right now. Even worse, never try to figure out ways to take advantage of someone when they are sitting there trusting you and unsuspecting. This is one of the quickest ways to end up in a blind alley and miserable. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth, don’t tell white lies, or gossip. Keep your heart focused on the right path and ignore the sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the roads will be paved out smoothly for you!

Meaning of Life?

We can find meaning in our lives even when we are confronted with troubles and hopeless situations that we have no control over. Sometimes it hurts while we are going through these trials because we don’t yet understand why they are happening. Through the suffering we can transform any tragedy into a triumph or achievement because we are forced to challenge and change ourselves. Everything in our lives happens for a reason, and there are no coincidences. We are where we are because we chose to be there, now you can decide where you want to be and start down that path.
The meaning of life varies from person to person, and the meaning changes on a daily basis. It is not so much the meaning of life that matters but the meaning of your life that is important. Knowing that every person is different, has different capabilities, assets, traits, dreams, and careers will help to remind us how unique we truly are. What matters is what we do with where we are in life and how we handle each situation. We must learn from the situations and should not be in search of a generic meaning of life, but instead what we are doing with ours. No two human beings are the same. We have different experiences, different surroundings, and beliefs. We must take our own opportunities and implement them in a way that will help others.


One of the ways I have learned to live a responsible life is by putting others first. Before I do something, I think of ways to do it in a positive way that will be rewarding for others. Helping others first, loving unconditionally, learning to stop judging others is one of the truest ways to live a responsible life, which in turn makes you who you are and why you are here among billions of other loving souls. The true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world, not just from within. The more we love others and give to society we will learn about ourselves. Being selfless in our challenging times will have a beautiful side effect on your life and that side effect is what I call “the meaning of life.”

Honesty and sales should be universal!

(This is a posting from October 2009 and rings even more true for todays slow growing economic times.)

A big part of my job is to do the sales end of the work that we do and today was a typical Friday where we are pretty busy because we do not do estimates on the weekends. I had a quote in New Canaan, Connecticut (we do air duct cleaning for heating and air conditioning) and walked into a beautiful castle where I was met by a wonderful older woman who thought she needed our services. I did my evaluation and found that her ducts were in mint condition and did not need our service (probably for another 5 years). I let her know of my findings and she was shocked and could not believe what I was telling her! So, I took her to the basement and opened up her system to show her with my camara system, to prove to her that I wasn't trying to talk myself or her out of a great job at her home. She asked me to come back upstairs and continued to show me two estimates that she had recieved in the past two weeks.In both estimates, the blower motors and return ducts (which we just visibly looked at and scoped with a camara system and found spotless) were heavily contaminated with dirt and debris.Thousands of dollars would be the cost of such a cleaning. We laughed and she thanked me for being such an honest business man. My point of this long, drawn out story is that when we are completely honest in everything that we do, we will never need to worry about being caught in a lie and your honesty will come back to you tenfold. Within the hour I recieved a phone call from her heating and air conditioning company thanking me for my honesty and two nieghbors want quotes for our services next week!


Being truthful with everyone in life will only be contagious and will help everyone involved. You are helping others and yourself at the same time and will gain a reputation that you are proud of! I took many classes in sales and marketing and the one thing that they seem to lack (not all) is integrity, my advice to anyone in sales would be "to be successful just treat everyone as you would your family not a customer." That would be the class and the rest will fall into place. Have a fun weekend and give someone a hug today!!

Laugh and pass along the energy!

My new fun shirt that I hope brings some smiles to everyone who passes by! Life is about enjoying life and helping others to smile along the way! I hope each and everyone of you have a perfect day knowing that you are making a difference in others lives!

Have FUN!

Change for yourself - NOT for anyone else!

Why do so many people choose to pick on people and criticize every little flaw? If you choose to do so, then don’t be surprised when you receive the same treatment! The critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. “Don’t be so fast to notice the smudge on your friends face while being oblivious of the blemishes on your own”. We need to look for the good in each other and enjoy the differences that make us unique. I have been doing research on human behavior and am finding out that one our biggest flaws is judging or comparing each other. One of the most successful gyms in my area grew tremendously by marketing “judgement free zone” and I am making it one of my goals this year to live that motto! Wouldn’t life be so much happier if we went through our days not worrying about what others think. Wouldn’t it be nice to do things for ourselves because we truly want the change that we are making, not what we think others expect of us. Well, it is easier said than done! 2012 is the year to do just that.


If you are trying to lose thirty pounds because you think others are going to be attracted to you then you might lose that weight but you might not have as much fun losing it because you should be losing it so you will feel better, be healthier, and want it for yourself! It must be for you and not anyone else. I have been changing my diet, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and am noticing a difference in my mood from these changes and in the long run I will lose weight. I am doing it for myself. This year is about you; if you are happy, healthy, and wise then you will pass that along to your loved ones simply by being you! Enjoy the new year and work on your goals then pass the rewards on to others...

Let’s make 2012 the best year ever and let me know how you are doing. I love hearing from everyone who visits my blog, joins me on facebook, and reads my books. My email is kellerslifeinaweek@gmail.com

God and Christmas!

Now that Christmas is just around the corner I wanted to take a moment to talk about what I feel is the true meaning of Christmas. It is very simple, yet we all make it complicated and stressful. “Stinginess impoverishes while generosity begets generosity.” That one sentence sums it up and explains how we should be living. Not only during the holidays but every day! Jesus said “Does anyone bring a lamp home and put it under a washtub or beneath the bed? Don’t you put it up on a table or on the mantel?” The point here is let’s share our joy and love for each other. Giving is the way, not getting!


I keep my blog pretty simple because I don’t believe in complicating matters. I don’t preach because I know I am far from perfect and have so much more to learn. I see many so-called prayer warriors who are prayer ignorant. They try selling formulas, programs, and advice on techniques for getting what you want from God. Be careful not to fall for all of that nonsense. Christmas is about Jesus and what he did for us. Christmas is simple because of a loving God who knows each and everyone of us. Christmas is about knowing each of your loved ones and sharing your time and laughter together. Make it a safe, fun, and memorable day by surrounding yourself with others.

Merry Christmas!

Mike Keller

Is America going down the drain? Why is that even a question...

I hear all the time that “America is going down the drain” and it drives me nuts! We are blessed to have so many freedoms and live in a place where we can make our own destinies. Someone told me yesterday that they can’t even afford to go out to dinner. I asked how many credit cards do you have? He replies FIFTEEN and they are all maxed out!

We need to start changing our lives and our country starting at home. Too many of us are buying material objects that seem to be important today but are thrown in a closet tomorrow, huge mortgages that take up most of our paychecks, fancy cars that depreciate the moment we pull off the dealerships lot. If we can’t afford it then don’t buy it! It saddens me to see so many people trying to make ends meet while still spending out of control. Yes, the government is known for this and the economy is in bad shape but, that is not an excuse for us to do so too. You’ve heard the old sayings “two wrongs don’t make a right” or “you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.”

I am not going to get all political here on my blog about being happy. I am just saying that we need to stop expecting to get bailed out for our own mistakes, just because the politicians have lost the golden rule of ‘common sense’ doesn’t mean we should. God didn’t tell us that we are born with the rights to a fancy supper, the best educations, free medical care, or even a job. He said we have to earn what we want and need. “Teach a man to fish and he will always eat.”

Here is what I have been doing to gain control of my financial life which in turn makes my entire life much less stressful and much more rewarding. By changing a few habits we will make our own economies better and worry less about what others are doing.

• Work smart! It’s simple, plan your days and be the best at what you do. 80% of our success is based   on our attitudes not our intelligence (thank God!).

• Smile more! A genuine smile and thoughtful acts toward others will help you earn much more money and get you out of debt! Care about everyone you meet all of the time!

• Don’t carry your credit cards! I have one credit card for travel and emergencies locked in a safe. If I carried it, I know I would have bought that flat screen t.v. on sale today...

• Pay off one debt at a time! Budget your money and pay off the highest interest rate card first. Even if you have to pay the minimums on all the others. Knock one out at a time and you will be debt free many years sooner!

• Make dinner at home more often! You will be healthier and will know what is in it. Let your wallet get fatter not you! Eating out all of the time is unhealthy, even the fancy kitchens add a lot of preservatives and salt. What my friends and I do which is really fun and saves a lot of money is to rotate going to each of our homes for dinner each week/month. It is much more fun than going out, saves us money, and we don’t have to talk over a loud crowd. Try it... you’ll have fun and may even learn to make a mean meatloaf!

• Drive your car for at least five years after it is paid off! Once you got rid of that huge car payment why would you want to start another one a month later? Enjoy that extra savings... if you want a new car scent again go to your local gas station and pick up a “new car scent tree deodorizer” or go get it detailed for a hundred bucks.

The bottom line is we are blessed to be surrounded by so many opportunities and to live in a great country that was built on ‘free will’ and ‘freedoms to learn and grow.’ We are slowly slipping into competitions about who has more instead of concerning ourselves with becoming rich from within. Riches of love, peace, charity, kindness, and laughter are much more important than any paper money or gold. So why drown ourselves in the battle over materials which will only stay here when we are long gone. Slow down, moderate everything in life, and start enjoying the company of each other; not some fancy gadget that is putting you in debt.

The furthest thing from freedom is debt so the sooner you get out of debt the sooner you will enjoy more freedoms...

Author of the "Life in a Week" book series
http://www.lifeinaweek.com/

DAILY TRIALS

Even though we may try to plan all things and arrange everything with extreme care, we will still have a lot of opportunities to exercise the virtue of patience. We can’t eliminate the unexpected or the unavoidable. In most cases our best weapon is our intelligent patience with both ourselves as with others. We will always have daily trials that at times will even cause bodily pains. At other times it may be a simple annoyance, disappointment, or cause anxiety. We would like to be free of these trials, but that is impossible. Patience and understanding are the keys to dealing with such circumstances, the key to peace and happiness is to know that our reactions should never be surprised, resentful, or saddened when things don’t go our way. We should try to gain more control of the situations and learning to deal with the trials will teach us the most valuable lessons in this life!

Our lives will have trials every day. We are always being tested. If we live well, our acts will merit a rewarding life. But the fact is that we will face the possibilities of success or failure. In either case, the outcome of these trials is determined by our own free choice! I was told a few days ago that our sub-conscience mind will save what we write and put our writings into action quicker than if we were to simply imagine or say them aloud. This may be the case but, I feel our words that we speak to each other have much more power to change our lives. I have felt more intense pains from slaps to the face from words spoken to me than I have ever felt from a hand. We need to be careful of what we say to each other in heated moments of boiled over situations. There are no accidents. There is the law of cause and effect in every situation. Our thoughts create our words and our words create the reactions and therefore the results.

SOO FUNNY! I laughed for 20 minutes...

Patience will get you through anything...

Patience is how we react to situations with our loved ones, kindness is how we can avoid the ugly situations. No one wants to be around a grumpy monkey, but we all love being around someone who is thoughtful and KIND! Patience and kindness work hand in hand with each other, without one the other struggles. Kindness must be with us at all times, we should wear it around our necks as if it is part of us.

I took a day and wore a rubber band on my wrist, every time I was about to react to a grouchy comment I simply snapped the rubber band to remind me that words are just as dangerous as a loaded gun. At the end of the day my wrist hurt but I felt great knowing that I only spoke good words... this habit can change all of our relationships for the better. Remember to be patient, kind, helpful and willing to be flexible like that rubber band. Rather than complaining and making excuses, look for reasons to compromise and help each other!

Homemade book trailer - Youtube please Don't take away my music again... I have permission!!

Slow down, Be nice, and open your fists!

How nice are you to people? How do you respond to a co-worker who speaks harshly? How do you respond to a rude receptionist? How about a friend who ignores you when you ask a question? These are good questions that remind me that everywhere we go people are hurting, in a rush, and might be discouraged. They may have made mistakes in life or are simply having a bad day. They don’t need anyone to criticize or judge them; they need someone who will take a moment to listen to their story and are probably looking for a friend who cares, but is in such a rare mood or in a rush that they are zoned into that moment. We can turn any situation around; it is all up to the way we look at the situations and how we react! Once we start letting God judge everyone and we start to work on our own flaws it will be much easier to see the good in others.

Today is a good day to open our fists and reach for the good in others. Our personal beliefs have much more impact on our lives than anyone else’s...

Are you traveling down the wrong road?

A man was traveling for work heading toward his destination. On his way to that place he realized he was heading in the wrong direction, he was on the wrong road! But, strange to say he didn’t worry about it and kept on going believing that even though he was on the wrong road, he would end up at his destination! He didn’t worry about turning back or getting back on the right road. The poor fellow must be crazy! Lots of us are that way in regards to our thinking, we keep making the same mistakes, doing the things that hurt us the most... maybe we are the crazy ones?

We know that we might not be on the right track and that we should lead a different life, pursue a different course if we wish to reach our destinations, and still we keep right on going in the wrong direction! We are searching for worldly riches and goals, being successful in business, and attaining happiness, yet we forget that happiness is actually one of the simplest forms of Love. You don’t need success to Love; just the ability to trust and have the strength to never give up on believing in others and yourself. A true leader is one who trusts in others and doesn't look to gain fame or fortune; just the trust of others. Every day offers us many chances to change the live's of our loved ones and if we take those chances we will be changing our lives and paths as-well! Now go make someone smile and have fun!! 

In Dead Eyes

In Dead Eyes

You live for a while

Most don't know what there is after death.

We all have every answer we need inside

Sometimes you see it

If you are lucky you will be it

before it's death.

If you have seen life through dead eyes

you will know that if you do everything you have to

then dead eyes aren't so bad...

Just know you have to show love, smiles and be true to everyone now

because Dead Eyes dont make appointments to see you.... 

Be yourself...Be Real

...Trust me on this!     

I wrote this when I was thirteen years old because I was depressed but, now I realize that I was looking for some answers... I realize now that even at that young age that I was trying to answer some of lifes biggest mysteries. This little poem reminds me that we will never have all the answers but we will have the questions! Keep asking them... Life is about learning, Loving, and being True to who we are, worry about tonight and let tomorrow be out of site because the futue is ...what we make of it.

  

Give-Away Contest for "Dare to Be Yourself" by Alan Cohen!

This weeks Give-Away Contest is for one of my favorite self help books, it is the book that actually got me started on my writing career. It is "Dare to Be Yourself" by Alan Cohen (an amazing writer). All you need to do to join is sign up for the "Weekly Ezine" on http://www.lifeinaweek.com/ (top left hand corner) and send me an email that you would like to be placed in the drawing hat! Click on the link here to read all about it -      http://home.ezezine.com/3043/3043-2011.02.20.23.07.archive.html I hope to see your name in the hat!!
Have a really fun week everyone.

Our habits that turn into addictions!

Let’s face the harsh facts about our weaknesses. We all have dealt with addictions in our lives, whether it is alcohol, drugs, work, love, or even hatred. Life is about balance and moderation. Any addiction that we may be facing in our lives can and probably will dull our energetic spirits. If we let our addictions take over our lives, we will become weak and frail, letting our guards down for even an instant may be enough for us to fall hard. My weakness was alcohol, it threatened all that I believe in and the overindulgence of the drink felt like tentacles of an octopus grasping my every thought and breathe.




In today’s society addictions are of an epidemic proportion. The curses of these addictions are leading many down a rough path in life, without an anchor to secure our thoughts. We are readily influenced by our peers, media, and television. Our thoughts become confused and frustrated, while our bodies and spirits deteriorate. We teach the young by our examples, not by our words alone! We may have even introduced them to the drunkard or addictive ways by failing to check our own corrupt impulses, and our principles may have been carelessly disregarded. The bad effects of these addictions far outweigh the so-called benefits. An addiction will take over our thoughts throughout the day while working like a demon trying to claw your eyes out (wow that was a bit harsh) so that you won’t be able to see all the good that is surrounding you. These addictions are destroying our judgements, character, and lives.



We are given free-will to live our lives the way we choose. If we overindulge in drinking, we will become drunkards, if we eat everything that is in front of us we will be gluten’s who become so obese that we can’t tie our own shoes, and if we let habits turn into addictions we will be doomed to a life filled with poor judgments and derangement. I write these harsh words because I know that these addictions cause many of the problems we are facing in our own homes, towns, cities, and the world. Many murders, suicides, health issues, and divorces are the tragic consequences of these tendencies, don’t let them take over your thoughts. If you feel you have been heading toward an addiction from a bad habit that you may have, look inside of yourself and ask what it is that you are not facing about yourself and face it. Become stronger by fighting the demons from within. Always remember that as long as we do just a little better today, then we are heading toward a healthier and happier life, pass along that feeling to all you meet during your journey!

Christmas is in the air!

One of my favorite times of the year is the Christmas season because we all seem to take a step back and think about others first. I often wonder why we don’t seem to hold on to that holiday feeling for the entire year? If we sincerely thought about others needs before our own all year round we would be much happier, healthier, and wiser! I am not talking about just the gifts that are bought, I am saying the hugs, the family gatherings, the laughter, the excitement, and the love that we feel toward one another. So often, we are so caught up in our own lives that we forget to slow down and ask a friend how he or she is doing? One of the biggest lessons I have learned this holiday season so far is that we all love to hear ourselves talk! I have been trying to do less talking and more listening (as I previously wrote about in previous blog entries) and I am truly amazed at how much better I am at listening than talking! Just by listening to others more intently is being a better friend. Listen to what others are saying and you will learn so much more about your own life as-well. The Christmas holiday season is a great time to practice doing this. I want to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season, a season to smile and build memories of a lifetime! Merry Christmas! Mike Keller

Listen more and chatter less!

I have been doing a lot of writing lately about everyday situations and how I cope with some of the challenging moments. I learned at a really young age to not let others attitudes change our own unless it is for the better. I was talking with a person about a month ago whom told me that his life is so hard, he hates his job, he doesn’t get along with his wife, his kids don’t listen to him (no matter how loud he yells) and that he is about to lose his apartment because the rent was raised by 30 percent by his landlord! I felt his anger over all of the bad things that were happening to him and I suggested that he take a step back and look at his situation from another persons’ point of view. Sometimes when we are in the situation we are to close to it to see the obvious solutions, it is really that simple. When I screw up on an invoice or a quote at work my boss will come into my office and show me what I did, I will initially feel annoyed because I cannot believe I screwed up on something that I have done a million and one times before. His advice to me was so simple the other day, yet so true “when you are exhausted from a long day, stop what you are doing and just pick it up the following day!” When we try to do everything all at once we are bound to make mistakes, we are human. So, when I told this man to step back and look at what was really going on, he too saw what I was seeing. Instead of condemning people for what they do, let’s try to understand the reasons why they do what they do. If you have a kid who is being a terror why would that kid behave better when he is being screamed at? We need to step back and see what it is that this kid is looking for, I would bet you a large coffee that he only wants your attention! I try to always remember that most people would rather have bad attention over no attention at all, ignoring others wants and needs and putting our own first is a selfish act but, striving to help others first is being a loving person. You will get much more satisfaction in life when you put others needs in front of your own, try to see the other persons point of view from a distance and start listening more than you talk. Another bad habit that we all have at times is that we love to hear ourselves talk! I will tell you that I have been watching everything I say in the past few months and I listen more than I talk now and have solved many issues in my own life by doing so. If you listen to what your friends and family has to say, you will learn so much more about them. If you chatter nonstop you are only babbling and people won’t listen to you as much. Take the time to listen to everyone around you, be truly sincere in your listening and life gets much easier. Ask questions and seek the answers. I received an email from my friend we were speaking about earlier and he started to listen to his boss, his wife, and his kids more intently. He started to take a breather before he would get defensive and genuinely started to listen to what they were saying! Within the first two weeks of trying to break his habit of “talking over” everyone and “yelling” about what is going wrong in his life, he started to see the changes immediately. He told his wife and his boss that he was trying to “lose his angry temper” and is working on becoming a better husband, father, and co-worker. His wife immediately saw the difference in the kids. They actually looked forward to their father returning home from a hard day at work and spending a little time playing with them without the yelling. His boss noticed he was coming into work with a smile and his productivity has increased tenfold, so he gave him a much needed raise of 20% and is paying for night classes to get him to become a supervisor with a life changing career within the company. The raise will pay for the increase in the rent and be able to pay off debt within two years. His story can be common if we have the right attitude toward both ourselves and everyone who surrounds us. We create our situations in life and we can change those situations in a very short time if we put in a genuine effort to do the right thing for the right reasons. We just need to think of all the good that surrounds us and brush off the negative emotions that arise in situations in our lives, start thinking outside of the box and seeing our own situations from outside of that very same box as-well. Bottom line here is to listen more and chatter less!

CHANGE IS GOOD

Life is full of what we put out there. Whether it’s happiness, love, and satisfaction or emptiness, loneliness, and sadness, it is all up to us. It’s really pretty simple. It’s like the old saying “you made your bed, now you have to lie in it.” If you feel that you cannot trust people, you probably won’t. If you feel like the world is against you, it probably will be. If you feel like everything is good and will work out for the best, it will. It takes the tough times to know the good times. If we didn’t have the tough times, then we would naturally forget how valuable the good times are and take them for granted. When you crush your finger between the balls at duckpin bowling and get a huge, throbbing blister on your finger that hurts every time you even get close to touching it, you will realize how lucky you always were when it wasn’t hurt and how much you will appreciate it in a few days when it is healed. When we realize that we really shouldn’t try to change other people’s habits or ways of thinking, but only change our own, it will have great rewards in all our relationships. We can always lead by example and actions, but we should never try to lecture and criticize others, even if it is the easy way out. Lecturing is one of the most destructive patterns we can have, and it will always end up with the same end result: resentment. Also, whatever change we were hoping for will be lost. Eventually, the person you are lecturing will reach the point of not even wanting to change and will start to look for your flaws instead. The love and respect that was once there will start to turn into more and more arguments; fighting will become a nasty habit or even the rule rather than the exception to the rule. Changing our own habits is much more important than trying to change someone elses.

LIFES BATTLES

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, watching some horrific stories that are on the news, and listening to stories about situations that surround us on a daily basis. I came to a realization that there is a continual struggle within us and around us! Is it a struggle between good and evil, a battle between Heaven and the dirty devil? Are we faced with these struggles so that we are introduced to the negativity in order to become so accustomed that we feel better about ourselves designed by our enemy? If that were the case then aren’t we actually joining the enemy with our foolish pride, blind selfishness, and ignorance! Maybe, just maybe, we are becoming stronger by being engaged in these horrible battles. I am learning that we need to look inside of ourselves to recognize the clever camouflage of the enemy that spews out all of the noise in order for us to be distracted by nonsense. Don’t get distracted, instead, hold that firm and constant Love for good, pass it along to everyone that you meet, and our strengths will only grow! Don’t let the distractions overcome us through our weaknesses or by worldly people with self-seeking motives. By keeping our motives in check with the right and good intentions and having self respect for ourselves, our eyes will focus on the victory of that dirty devil. For many years I sought the approval and praise from others. Up until a couple of years ago I had many goals that were money based. Don’t get me wrong, I work very hard and enjoy the fruits of my labor but, I don’t base my life on those riches because I finally realized that the good things in life are from having a good conscience; the praises from others fall short of that! I would much rather see a friend being honored for their efforts, while I go unnoticed and feel their joy. We must remember that we don’t fail in anything because things turn out differently from what we may desire. We shouldn’t judge things by our disappointments or dislikes. We must keep discouragements out of our hearts, no matter how hopeless things may appear and always accept the results knowing you did your best today! I over-drank alcohol for a long time and was discouraged about the years lost and the experiences I missed. But, then I realized that I overestimated the passed successes or comforts of life. My life today is much more content and rewarding because of the life experiences of yesterday. I believe that we must learn from our mistakes but, more importantly we must help each other to know that the battle between good and evil is being won and that there is much more good than bad in our lives!