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shopping mail, and your favorite coffee shop, inevitably leads to that somewhat pained expression when the bank state- ment arrives. The cost of the brake job on the car would have been much less if heed had been taken of the early warning signs....and so on. But enough of the negative; enough of thinking - "the future is that time when you'll wish you'd done contents as vague and as empty as the page what you aren't doing now." Let me tell on the screen of my computer, but to do so you a little story about a place I visited a would be false. Although we cannot read long time ago, and what I saw there. the future (thank God), we can with some certainty predict Near the Rock of Gibraltar, at the entrance to the the advent of certain events in our lives. We know for ex- ~~ Mediterranean Sea are two pillars-like rocks called The Pil- ample, that following the Christmas holidays, work begins lars of Hercules, because it is said in Greek mythology that again this week for many of us; we know that the contents ~~ Hercules placed them there. A person sailing westwards to- of our mailboxes will not bring us the joy of cards from wards the mouth of the Mediterranean, and the vastness of friends, and I will resist the temptation to remind us what the Atlantic Ocean that is guarded by the pillars, could see they will contain; we know that there will still be a home to carved on one of the pillars the words "Ne Plus Ultra," clean, food to purchase, children to care for; we know that meaning 'nothing more beyond." These words conveyed the those extra pounds sitting uncomfortably around our view held then, that nothing existed beyond Gibraltar, ex- waists. ...the result of the recent festivities.... are not going cept the vast expanse of the ocean. But later, Columbus anywhere, unless we persuade them to leave us, using will- sailed westwards through the pillars and discovered the power and self-denial. Yes, as we enter 2005 there are many New World. Later, someone thoughtfully crossed out the MORE BEYOND! It 1s tempting to think of this new year 2005 stretching out ahead of us, its things about the year that are mapped out for us already. word "Ne" leaving the words "Plus Ultra," ..... 'More Be- If we would wish to learn more about what might ~~ yond.' unfold in 2005, I suggest we would do well to take a jog As we think about the coming year, let us try to down memory lane and consider the events leading up to think about it in terms of "MORE" beyond. There is a silly this point in our lives, working on the principle that there is ad on TV just now about a person who walks into their local nothing new under the sun. Those pounds around our waist- bank looking for help with their finances, and 30 seconds lines did not get there by accident. Too much time in the later walks out smiling, hugging their personal bank man- ager, saying that they have just found out that they are now X dollars wealthier. What the ad does not tell us is that there ° 1s a catch. No cash freebies are being given, and it is WE, ST. P | | ILIP S AC W the customer who need to do something to make it happen. Achieving what we wish for ourselves and our Calendar of Events loved ones means that we need to do some forward plan- 2005 ning / TODAY. We don't require a TV ad to tell us that, and I am not thinking about the famous words: New Year's Resolution, as these are often thought of in a negative and Seder Supper March 24" stressful sense... like quitting smoking (although only good can come of that). I am asking you to think about "MORE BEYOND" as being anew LIFESTYLE to bring about some of what you might desire for yourself. + Ifitis friendships, then look for and seek help for new ways to meet people. + Ifitis financial resources, then look for ways to stretch your working day, or receive more for your labors as well as more effective budgeting of existing resources, if that is possible. § Garage & Rummage Sale May 28" Pork & Corn Roast August 3" Turkey Supper September 21% Garage & Rummage Sale October 1% Christmas Tea & Bazaar November 26™ Continued on page 14