What a lovely day. A time for thinking big thoughts. A time to relax and reflect on the challenges you have accomplished. If you are a parent, be thankful for your kids. If you are a kid, be thankful for your parents.

Some challenges seem herculean. They have a lot of moving parts. When I became a manager at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale, I wondered if I was up to the challenge. I was 29 and knew I had several years before I could retire. Colleagues told me that they would not have done what I did. Yet I look back 15+ years later and can say challenge complete.

Perhaps you are working toward a goal that is difficult to see on the horizon. Then there are the reversals…oh the reversals. Just about the time you can peek over the hill you have climbed…there is another hill.

My old friend told me once a year that life is not a sprint…it is a marathon. The older I become, the better I understand the advice. We are players on a stage…but it is not all drama. Often, we have no lines. Suddenly, it is our turn to speak…then we long for the next speaking opportunity.

Preparation is a fact of life. We prepare for many years to be adults…then the real preparation begins. Take a long time to be spontaneous.

Surprise awaits. As we walk the road home, we see a bend in the road. Around the bend is a surprise.