Greetings, Jake here.

It’s that time of the year when we start to think about how fortunate we are to have the freedoms we enjoy and gratitude for our blessings. Not everything is perfect in the world, but we are fortunate for so many things.

Recently I’ve been looking at family pictures, both from my childhood and present with my own family. I’ve discovered that there are “Moments in Time”, if I could only go back to that time, and freeze it, I would.

Pictures tell stories.

Below is a picture of an evening in July with my son. He was catching more fish than I was that night (that’s normal) but this photo represents such a fond memory and when I look at it, I can remember vividly the fishing and camping trip.

It’s remarkable how smells, tastes, sounds, songs, and pictures can transport us back to a time in our life.

I would encourage you to take a moment during the holidays and go back through photos, past and present…it’s incredible the feelings of love, longing, and gratitude that can surface while taking a visual walk down the lane of history.

James Barry, the author of Peter Pan, wrote “God gave us memories so that we might have Roses in December”.

It’s fun to look at past photos and experiences, which leads me to ask myself, “what new experiences am I going to create”? What “moments in time” will you create that you’ll want to freeze?

I would encourage you, no matter your circumstance, think of one (or many) things you want to accomplish in the next year. Make it fun, exciting, dream a little. Have you always wanted to learn something? Is there someone you want to connect with? Someone you can help? A place you want to travel?

A few years ago I was visiting a client in the hospital who passed soon after our visit. As I walked into the hospital that day, a picture frame in the gift store caught my eye. Curiously I walked over, and for the first time I read,

“The trouble is, you THINK you have TIME.”

This statement made an immediate impact on my life.

I purchased the frame and I have it displayed in my office as a constant reminder to be proactive in creating experiences with my family, friends, and those I want to spend time with.

I hope that each of you will be proactive in creating additional “moments in time” so that you may have Roses in December.