I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the day. But then, I spent 4 days inside. It was too icy for me to want to get out. Today I bought lots of chocolate on sale and a few salty snacks. Can’t have too many in late January, if you ask me.

I took a walk after I got home and ate lunch. Worked a hard crossword puzzle and really enjoyed it. Now I am at the keyboard again. I see I have a new subscriber to the blog. Welcome! I have books for sale, in case you haven’t read them. My favorite is my first one because you can’t read it without breaking out in both tears and laughter. It’s called “Life with a Hole in It.”

There is a humor book that never got much attention and then my third book, “Bigger Than the Sky.” It is about my friendship with a dying man and how we managed to find strength to go on. It is an open secret, no special formula needed. Want to know what it is? We are choiceless except for our attitudes. And even our attitudes are often programmed for us genetically.

I have been studying truth for decades and I am probably not much better off than if I had not been. Surprised? Don’t be. Life is a superb teacher whether we are good students or not.

I am both lucky and unlucky, just like the rest of you. Some days I feel I will survive and on others I know I won’t. Love weaves in and out among the fading flowers that we all are.

If I had the chance to have one more email chat with Peter, I would have nothing to say to him that we hadn’t already said. That is the beauty of life. We know it only comes around once, at least in this particular body. Take no chances. When it is your turn to live, LIVE.

Vicki Woodyard