Long ago--I don't even want to think how long ago it was--my mentor, Martin Cecil, wrote a short poem about life and the path to true happiness and fulfillment that is beautiful in its simplicity and timelessness.

Martin was a mentor to my wife, JoAnn, too. "These words have given me so much comfort over the years," she says. "I was drawn to them a lot, they really got me thinking, and still do."

Here's the poem. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have. (We keep it pinned to the front door of our frig.)

"Any moment of hating/Any moment of lying/Any moment of resentment/ Is a moment of dying.

"Any moment of loving/Any moment of giving/Any moment of thankfulness/Is a moment of living.

"All our moments add together/Like the digits in a sum/And the answer tells us plainly/Whether life or death shall come." --Martin Cecil.

As always, would love to receive any comments you may have on the above. My love to you as we continue on together into whatever wonders, discouragements, delights and blessings 2017 may hold.