“The first of April
is the day we remember
what we are the other
364 days of the year.”
~ Mark Twain

In their popular 1976 hit song Fly Like an Eagle, the Steve Miller Band sang about the passage of time: “Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’ slippin’ into the future.” Without a doubt, it most certainly does. And as many have pointed out through the years, getting older is a bit like using toilet paper. The closer we get to the end of the roll, the faster it spins.

Another March is in the books. April 2024 is upon us, and with it, a glimmer of hope for a future of unlimited possibilities. As I look ahead to the next four weeks, I’m grateful for numerous opportunities to get together with family and friends. I’ll also give one presentation on the topic of gratitude in Mountain View, attend a book launch for a friend who recently published two new titles, give one guided tour of San Francisco to a friend who grew up in Southern California, and attend another concert, a tribute to Paul McCartney, with Kathy. April promises to be a memorable month.

Today and tomorrow, we get a brief preview of the warmer, sunny days ahead. No doubt, we’ll get more rain in April, but that’s to be expected. We all learned as children that “April showers bring May flowers,” so even the inevitable rain is a good thing. Like most people I know, I am more than ready for the arrival of summer weather.

I’m also anticipating the publication of my newest book, Through the Lens of Gratitude. This book follows the format of my first publication, A Moment’s Pause for Gratitude (2017). In that book, I shared fifty brief stories of gratitude. Each story is followed by a couple of questions to encourage readers to reflect on gratitude in their own lives in light of the story told. Through the Lens… follows this same format, with fifty new stories. The book, which I’m confident is my best yet, should be available for purchase by May 1, 2024.

Yes, time does keep on slippin’, so it is incumbent upon each of us to live in the moment, to be consciously aware of the joy and potential each day has to offer. When I was a teen, like most kids that age, I felt that I was invincible — that I would live forever. Well,… things have changed. I am well-aware of my mortality now, but I’m not afraid of it. I continue to be grateful for each new day given to me, and for the opportunities each new day presents. I will always remember and treasure the words of wisdom offered by Richard Jatta, the father of one of my former students, Jenifer, who lived his brief life embracing the Latin phrase, “Carpe diem,” which translates to “Seize the day.” He understood the importance of living in the present moment.

Happy April!