There is no good time. There is no bad time. There is only your time, and it is what you make it.” – Earl Leonard

I read this statement in a local paper. It was referring to a talk given by Earl Leonard, a former Coca Cola CEO to University of Georgia students. He was referring to the dim job prospects. He reminded the students that in 1860 the 40 students that graduated that year went off to fight in the Civil War, only 9 returned home.

I thought it was very insightful. Our time is now and it will be brief. Someone is always going to have it better than you and someone is always going to have it worse-so quit gripping and get on with living!

Perhaps Earl’s statement was extra meaningful to me because my brother died too young. I was changed by this experience. To me, “tomorrow” and “later” were no longer an option. I couldn’t keep deferring my life for whatever excuse I had made up. His death drove home that today, this moment actually, is all I have. It caused me to ask every day since then, “Am I using my time wisely and to the best of my ability?”

I hope when you read this that you will pause for a moment and reflect on your life. Are you even aware of what you’d like to have accomplished by the end of it? Are you living it with intention? I find a good question every now and again can make a difference in a life. Carpe diem.