Hi all,

Another April 15th, another year of reminding myself why I took the dive into my own business.  Most of you know I’m a very social being, and to operate a business in an environment where sometimes the best you can hope for is to just not upset anyone too much (after all, do we really enjoy paying taxes regardless of how much I could “save” you?) – well, that’s a conundrum I really didn’t necessarily think all the way through.

The best part of my life right now, aside from those two incredibly great kiddos of mine, is the learning that takes place almost daily.  The past few years have been an incredible growth opportunity for me in many areas – matters of faith, matters of spirituality, matters of the heart, matters of self-love, etc.  But without a doubt, the most invigorating part of life in the past 18 months has been making (or remaking) some incredibly great friendships.

Whether it’s been through social networking, dating, or just bumping into old friends in odd places, this bedrock of my personality – the social butterfly, that is – has had a great deal of new life literally breathed into it.

I’ve not written much in a while – mostly because I’ve really been doing a much better job of getting focused in 2010 – but have missed many of you because I haven’t taken the time to farm the friendships.

***

My drives home tend to be a time of reflection – usually for the past day, or hour, or whatever.  And, like many of you, I like to turn up the radio and not think about anything except why I’m a much better singer than almost any artist on the radio…ha!  Today, with April 15th in my rearview mirror, I noticed the old Neil Diamond song “Hello Again” playing on Sirius.  Without hesitation I flipped over to the channel.  The words rang louder than almost any song has in a while.

I miss you all…and one of my favorite lines is, “It’s good to need you so.  It’s good to love you like I do, and to feel this way, when I hear you say: ‘Hello'”.  I’m not sure tonight that there’s any more poignant truth for me than that…So many of you wrote on my facebook wall well wishes for my birthday – and I’ve yet to thank each of you personally who did.  The warmth of words should never be underestimated – whether spoken, written, or otherwise.

You know, it’s not news that our words carry so much power.  In at least two of the Bible’s most telling verses, we hear that people are “ensnared” by the words of their own mouths (Proverbs 6:2), and also that the words of a person’s mouth are deep waters (Proverbs 18:4).  If it’s so easy to tear people down or build them up with the words of our mouths, how many times are we also torn down or built up by the words of others?  In keeping with that, how much are we like the tail wagging the dog – allowing opinions, both good and bad, to shape our own psyche?

My own growth this past year has been an effort to move away from being so impacted by the opinions and words…deep waters…coming from other peoples’ mouths and work more on the beauty and/or venom I choose to spread from my own lips on a daily basis.  Understanding that I’m gonna fail almost daily has helped me stay on the horse…but you know what?  The practice is starting to work.

Trust me, I can still be a jerk – but instead of running and hiding from it, I’m better about turning to those I care about (all of you for instance), and saying I’m sorry.  Case in point, I have a great friend I made just over a year ago today who asked for my help.  Now, this is one of those folks who NEVER asks for help…and all I like to do sometimes is help.  The circumstances are unimportant – I was busy with taxes but jumped at the opportunity to help and committed to do so.  The problem was, I failed to do it.  I was in the deep waters…I was ensnared by my own words.  It took me two weeks…TWO freaking weeks of waking up every day feeling terrible about the fact that I had failed.  Every day was worse than the day before.  I remember hearing “Sorry seems to be the hardest word” by Elton John one day and it almost broke me down.  As soon as I made it to a stopping point, I texted my friend that I was sorry.  While it didn’t restore everything back to a perfect friendship – it stopped the bleeding.

And so tonight, driving home…here comes Neil Diamond.  And I thought, yeah…now’s the time.  The words are so true – sometimes it’s just a simple hello that can go a mile for folks…I know it does for me.

We’re almost 1/3 of the way through 2010 – are you accomplishing everything you wanted to?  If not – well – GET AFTER IT!  YOU STILL HAVE TIME!  Thanks for your words – all of you.  Tomorrow’s friday – send those around you off on a good foot for the weekend – choose your words wisely today.

God bless!
Tim

***
Hello Again, by Neil Diamond

Hello again, hello
Just called to say: hello.
I couldn’t sleep at all tonight
And I know it’s late
But I couldn’t wait.

Hello, my friend, hello
Just called to let you know
I think about you ev’ry night
When I’m here alone
And you’re there at home.
Hello.

Maybe it’s been crazy
And maybe I’m to blame
But I put my heart above my head.
We’ve been through it all
And you loved me just the same
And when you’re not there
I just need to hear…

Hello, my friend, hello
It’s good to need you so
It’s good to love you like I do
And to feel this way
When I hear you say:

Hello, my friend, hello.
Just called to let you know
I think about you ev’ry night
And I know it’s late
But I couldn’t wait

Hello.