(Originally appeared in Spiral Songs and Grace Notes, April 12, 2011.)

I used to have a fairly lengthy list of core values, life categories, and goals pertaining to each value and category. Over the past few years, I have simplified.

Now, there are only two things, two actions, that I require of myself every day:

Do something creative.
Do something loving.

If I take care of just those two imperatives, then the day has been a success. If I can just continue to be creative and loving, then I am not a failure.

Amazingly, this does not feel like lowering the bar — because how can I possibly feel that way, when I am giving first priority to the things that matter most to me?

(Originally appeared in Spiral Songs and Grace Notes, December 28, 2011.)

The other day, I was watching Scrooge with my family. You know — the musical with Albert Finney? It’s one of my favorites.

At one point — shortly after the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, I believe — my twelve-year-old daughter turned to me and said, “The past is all sad and the future is all creepy and scary, but the present is jolly and fun.”

Almost without thinking, I remarked, “Well, maybe that’s because living in the past makes us sad, and living in the future makes us scared. Our best chance for happiness is in the present.”

Then I stopped and thought about what I’d just said.

Yeah.

Unwrapping the present now, to see what treasures it contains…