Today I began scouting out hiding places for the annual Easter egg hunt we hold at our home. I plan this carefully. My objective is to find hiding places that have never been used before. Evidently, my memory is becoming severely degraded. I put a little red flag in each new place I think will make a unique hiding place for this year. I poked a flag in four rotten eggs left from last year.

How could I forget a place where I stuck a flag and hid an egg only a year ago? Here is the worst part. I put out 30 flags, then I go to get the eggs. In the span of time it takes to go inside the house, get the eggs and begin placing them, I usually forget where at least five of the flags are. Just a few more years and I will be able to hide my own Easter eggs. Every egg will be a surprise!

When the starting gun goes off at the beginning of the hunt, (yes, we do have a shotgun start) the children immediately dash for the places they found eggs hidden the previous year. They have memories like elephants.

A glimpse of what is ahead often changes the course of our lives. If you are on the freeway and see flashing ambulance and police lights ahead, you will most likely take a detour to avoid an accident.

For me it was a glimpse from behind that changed my life. Seeing this flattering picture started me on a two year journey that became a physical, spiritual and emotional adventure that I will never regret.

After many gains and losses, I have finally lost almost 50 lbs, I have maintained that loss and I have found a renewed excitement about every aspect of living. The discipline and resulting vibrance I found in my physical life, also helped me take a close look at my spiritual life. I had become lazy there as well. Thank heaven there are no pictures of that!

Benjamin Franklin said, “Most people die at about 25 and aren’t buried until they are 75.” This last year I feel like my life has been rewound 25 years…

Okay, be forewarned! This is not for the delicate or faint of heart. Yesterday, I ran 8 miles.  That’s farther than I have ever run before. The sun was shining for the first time in over a week.  And it was warm!  A few days before I had biked 20 miles in 30 degree weather and almost froze to death.  My left ear broke off when I removed my helmet. But today temperatures were in the high fifties.  Two deer stood at no more than 10 yards and watched with big eyes and long lashes.  I could almost hear them whispering, “That guy only has one ear.”