“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.”
– Abraham Lincoln
In 1991, Brian Dyson, former CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises, gave the commencement speech at Georgia Tech. He spoke of balancing work with one's other life commitments. His advice:
"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them: work, Family, health, friends, and spirit, and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls: Family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”
Brian Dyson correctly identified a key reality of life: that many of us juggle a lot throughout the days, weeks, months, and years. Some have no balance, and it is damaging their lives in many ways. So as we enter 2026:
Don't take things closest to your heart for granted. Cling to them, as they were your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.
As we continue our journey into 2026, take some time now to evaluate your life seriously. Without an accurate assessment of how balanced our lives are, we can hurt ourselves, our relationships, our faith, and our future. So as we enter 2026:
Do make a manageable resolution that will help you maintain focus on what you value in life, and then seek to follow it for the rest of the year.
Do allow yourself to seek wise counsel from someone you trust and then listen.
Do listen to your body and see if you are truly taking care of yourself and then take steps to improve your health.
Do examine your spiritual, emotional, and mental health, and seek help to become stronger.
Do make a new resolution not just to live life this next year but take the steps to thrive.
And to everyone, a Happy New Year.
Curtis