A letter from the editor

This is what I know

At the end of Oprah's magazine every month, the media mogul imparts some of her wisdom in a column entitled, "What I know for sure." I read these religiously, hoping that some of her revelations may inspire me. Driving home from a short holiday visit to my mom's in Idaho, I contemplated the things that I know for sure. At age 29, I must admit, the list is short. I am learning valuable lessons all the time, mostly through trial, error, and the three mis-es: mishap, misjudgment and mistake. But at age 29, I have lived a lot of life, and I have come to realize that I do know a thing or two after all.

1. A supportive family will serve as your rock, anchor and foundation. If you are fortunate enough to have a loving, nurturing family, you have a tremendous advantage in this world.

2. Honesty is always the best policy. Yes, it is a cliche, but true nonetheless. To be honest with oneself as well as others is a rare virtue.

3. Fear is the single most destructive emotion that humans act upon. Fear motivates hatred, intolerance, ignorance, weakness, self-loathing, and an entire battery of other misconceptions.

4. There is someone somewhere who is worse off than you. I try to tell myself this all the time when I am indulging in a pity party. Someone is sleeping in a cardboard box. Someone is drinking water from a mud puddle. Someone is begging on the street for money to buy food.

5. Great friends are nourishment for the soul. Friends will keep you grounded and give you wings to fly at the same time.

6. We don't love ourselves, or one another, enough. In the race to be better, we have dismissed the fact that we all have the right to just be, and be loved for just that.

7. Pets are people too. If you have ever loved a pet, then you know what I mean.

8. You can't make time, you must take time. Time is a fleeting thing, you must take advantage of it when you can do the things that are truly important and lasting.

9. Mean what you say and say what you mean. Words are interesting things. They can be misconstrued or misinterpreted, so it is vital to use them wisely and succinctly.

Now that the New Year is upon us, and reflection is timely, ponder what you know for sure. It will give you a bit of insight into who you are. As for me, all I really know for sure is that I am a work in progress.

Happy New Year!