Peering into 2005

The New Year has finally arrived. A time where most of us reflect on the past year, and look ahead into the next with confidence and zeal. A time of renewal and commitment to our goals and principles. A time of making and creating our dreams.

The world seems to pause, if but for a moment, then swiftly and quickly moves on its way

Most of you are probably wondering at this point; what any of this has to with saving, spending, and living wisely. The answer is choices. Life is much like a stud poker game. We are each dealt different hands and must play that hand to the best of our ability. Each of us is unique, and it is the betterment of that uniqueness that betters the world. Just as the decision to be a better person takes effort, so does the act of saving, spending, and living wisely. The winner is not he that dies with the most money, but he who has played his hand to the best of his ability. It is he who has taken his God-given talents and used them for the betterment of mankind. It is he who has used them to improve the lives of his fellow beings.

In 2005 lets all of us not only commit to saving, spending, and living wisely, but most importantly commit to positively affecting those around us.

As you ponder the upcoming year…consider the wise words from Robert Frost in his poem, “The Road Less Traveled.”

The Road Less Traveled

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Robert Frost