Excerpt
Preface


"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction."

-Bessie Stanley (Lincoln [KS] Sentinel, Nov. 30, 1905)



The second hand on my watch keeps tick-tick-ticking around its face, the golden-colored pin hopping across the large black numerals. Over and over, around and around, I watch the second hand go, past the thicker black hour and minute hands which, by contrast, creep around the dial of the watch ever so slowly - barely noticeable - as if they are sneaking up on me unawares... stalking me.

They are, you know. Time marches on, as they say, stopping for no one. And as the hands circle around the face of my watch, my hair thins, my skin wrinkles, and the world around me races by as if in high speed: moving, moving, constantly moving, with me in its midst but watching as if from a distance.

Our lives are so brief! What is a person's life - seventy, eighty years? More or less for some. Within the context of eternity, our lives are like the sudden flashes of light from fireflies on a warm summer evening: briefly bright, then gone. In this context, does money really matter? My grandfather always used to repeat the popular phrase, "You can't take it with you!" It's true.

Think of all the people throughout history who have lived in abject poverty, like the peasants of the Dark Ages. Were their lives meaningless because they never realized anything resembling worldly success? They lived maybe forty or fifty years in dirty squalor, married, had children, scraped to survive, and died. And that's it - gone. Where was the meaning of a life like that?

Throughout the many generations of humanity... thousands of years... what is important? What truly matters? Is it technology? Science? Wealth?

No. Generations of humanity come and go; all that matter are faith and love.

We are here, in our little space within eternity, like a brief vapor. In a moment we are gone. What makes our lives worthwhile and meaningful are our cognizance of God, our relationship to him, and love; showing love to others.

We must view our lives from the perspective of eternity and prioritize our values accordingly. Faith in God is our key to understanding eternity. Living lives of love matters incalculably more than having worldly success. This life lasts only for a moment; eternity with God is our true life, our true destination, our true citizenship.


* * * * *


This book consists of my musings from the trenches of life. It presents a redefinition of success as something more than material abundance or professional accomplishments. I have broken it down to eleven principles that are essential for an effective, meaningful and successful life.

Don't try to look at my life to find a perfect example of the truths presented in this book. You won't find it. I am "the chief of sinners", as Saul of Tarsus said. My personal life is filled with imperfections and mistakes.

But the funny thing about mistakes is, if you're willing, you can learn from them.

I believe that the truths contained in these pages are eternal truths, the kind that a person builds a life on and uses to prepare for eternity. Taken to heart and put into practice, these truths are the recipe for a life of richness, of quality, of joy and meaning. They are universal and readily available, buried within the conscience of every human being. I have merely collected them, like a lover picking daisies in the sunshine to make a beautiful bouquet for someone special. This book is my bouquet to you.



D.L.T.
Kansas City
Summer, 2008








Copyright 2008 by D.L. Tanner