It really is December 31st, 2008. The last day of a rather bleak year.
I’ve been reading recaps of the year: the good, the bad and the ugly. I am amazed by the events that happen, and seem important at the time, that I forget about after a few months.
I am enjoying projections for 2009. You may, or may not, write down a list of New Year resolutions. But, in all likelihood, you think about a few.
I’m thinking about the things I did that put me in the situation I’m in. Good choices + Bad choices = Today. What about tomorrow? Is there a tomorrow? Or, just today.
My friend Ray Pelletier is on the mind of many people today. Even more tomorrow – January 1st.
Ray was a motivational speaker, who worked continually to motivate himself. Who motivates the motivator, I often asked him. He said it was a ‘spirit within.’ That is, of course the essence of the word ‘enthusiasm.’
As we make the transition from one calendar year to another, let me share with you a couple of thoughts about January 1st, as learned from Ray Pelletier.
December 31st is yesterday, he would say. You can not change the past. You can only hold it in memory, good or bad. Leave it behind. Focus on today.
January 1st represents the future, full of promise. But the future doesn’t begin on a calendar date. It begins NOW. It’s not a 24-hour period. It’s ’the current moment.’ Whatever lies ahead has begun to unfold. It will take place on January 1st, because everday, is January 1st.
We need a calendar to keep track of time. We need to remember the past, but not dwell there. We need to dream of the future, but not dwell there. We need to live in the moment. Live today, because it’s all that you can count on.
We need a way of thinking to keep things in perspective. We need a way to deal with the passage of time, from the future to the present to the past. If Ray Pelletier was alive today, he’d be blogging on WordPress, talking on BlogTalkRadio, Tweeting on Twitter and, generally, using social media to tell people about his January 1st philosophy, because Ray was, at his core, a social person. Read a little about Ray.
Tomorrow, the calendar marks the beginning of a New Year by recognizing January 1st, 2009.
Let me suggest to you that your new year has just begun. And, it will continue to begin each day that you wake up. For as Ray used to say, ‘God didn’t promise any of us a tomorrow.’
On May 21st, 2005, at the age of 57, Ray ran out of tomorrows.
If you happen to find this page, and you knew Ray Pelletier, Sr., please take a few minutes and make a comment.
Thank you.
I knew Ray myself. He was the motivation speaker for the Miami High Stingarees in 2005. We won the State title because of his motivational ways. Most people have not published or know that he even help a high school team to victory! In 100 years the only Girls State title in the schools history.. the motto was Flush it and UFB( unfinished business) on your socks with Athletic tape and someone who you wanted to play for! Billy Donovan even sent us film of him speaking and how Ray had helped the Gators to victory. He also had another ring from us which goes uncounted for and the whole Girls team was at his funeral. Small but noticed but the most important knows we were in the building. I even took these motto’s and applied them in my collegiate career and yet victorious when i actually UFB 05-10 a person i would play for on my tape job on my ankle and came up victorious and now have a TSC ring also! Long live the memories and inspiration of Ray!
Victoria Caballero #21 from Miami Senior High State Championship Team