Reflections and Resolutions

Well, here we go again.  That time of year.
Some of you may feel that I need to make a resolution...not to stray away from my promised column each week.  Valid argument, yes, but this time I have a good excuse.
My wife is forever calling me a "PC lover", "Windows lover", whatever have you, because while she's embraced her MacBook as the leading technology, I still cling to the archaic vintage 2004 laptop that I rescued from the curb when she adopted the MacBook.
Most recently, it exhibited signs of involuntary retirement, so to speak, enough to the point where my wife actually surprised me Christmas morning with a shiny new Dell Inspiron 15, courtesy of my corporate discount at work.
So I spent much of my time between Christmas and New Year's migrating files from the old HP to the new Dell.  Not a speedy process by any means.
And, I no longer have an excuse to take an unannounced break from my weekly warblings that I will carry into 2014.
I look for 2014 to be a year of personal renewal, revival and reward. 
Not much change than in previous years, all that matters is the outcome, and how I will accomplish those goals or deal with the adversity if things don't go according to plan.
And it's the latter that often happens, according to John Lennon.
"Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans".
As I look out of the window from my new laptop, I gaze upon the winter landscape, and the promise of sunshine in the coming months.
How will I make the most of those days?  Or even the days now, however cold and dreary it may look outside?
I tend to think of this a lot more in my advancing years, as I pay more attention to those around me.  I see friends and acquaintances fighting terminal illness, family members aging, colleagues trying to find ways to rebuild their lives after losing their jobs, and what used to be 'little ones' finally growing up and planning their futures after high school.
Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" comes to mind right now.
Have I truly "gone forth" spiritually, as Jacob Marley insisted Ebenezer Scrooge do during his time on Earth?  Have I truly reached out to my fellow creatures? 
And if not, why?  Has life truly gotten in the way of it, or am I using it as an excuse to put it off until tomorrow?
Tomorrow.
My mind travels back to one February night back in the studio of 104.7 in Pittsburgh, almost 23 years ago when I was making my major market radio debut.
The cleaning staff was making its rounds to the different offices in the building, emptying the wastebaskets into the big can that would soon find its way to the dumpster on the side of the building.
"Where's Ed?" asked the African-American gentleman, likely in his mid to early 50's.
I relayed to him that "Ed" had passed away the week before, receiving the incredulous look in return.
"He wasn't too old...what did he die of?" he asked.
A heart attack is what took the broadcast legend's life at 56.
The man shook his head sadly, but managed a smile, nonetheless.
"Tomorrow's promised to no one," he said before turning around to move on to the next office.
I thought a lot about that.  I still do.
I don't think I'll ever stop.


NEXT WEEK:   A Reason for the World