“Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.“ - Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

So I decided to take some time off this week. Time to be with family, add on to our already awesome personal [1] Sodor with the 200 miles of new wooden track my kids got for Christmas, and begin reading one of the best gifts I ever received - [2] The Complete Calvin and Hobbes. It’s also given me some time to think - which quite honestly, is one of my favorite pastimes.

Like Tiny Tim from the [3] Dickens’ classic we tend to get thoughtful this time of year.

I know I do. Some of us get sad, as we reflect on the lives we have and the lives we could’ve had. Some of us get excited, about the possibilities of the New Year. And many of us get apathetic, just thinking about nothing in particular, content to go on with the status quo.

I used to fall into the first group. Now I’m squarely in with the possibilities group. To me, the hardest group to be in is the apathetic group. Making a leap to greatness from a point of “whatever” is much harder than from the point of sadness or frustration. Complacency is a possessive mistress, and breaking free can be difficult. So…

Reflect on your pain, or reflect on your possibility, but whatever you do, reflect.

• Where are you, now?
• What does 2007 offer you?
• More of the same, better, or something else?
• What are your intentions for the New Year?

The minute you give up, life overtakes you. Make a choice, change your perspective, and get thoughtful. Now’s the perfect time…