Opportunities Lost

“There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.”
– William Shakespeare, “Julius Caesar”

This quote from William Shakespeare is an accurate assessment of life. A shorter version of this sentiment is “Strike while the iron is hot.” When you get the inspiration to do something, do it. In this installment of “The Babbling Brooksby,” I will try to show you why this is true.

About 25 years ago, I was asked to speak at a singles fireside in North Phoenix. They gave me several weeks’ notice, but when the day arrived I still had no idea what I would be talking about. I had prayed and prayed for guidance, but had received nothing. So I drove the many miles from Mesa to the church on Greenway Rd, without any clear idea what I would be saying to roughly 100 singles from all over the state. All of a sudden, while driving, I received an insight that came to me in complete form – I would talk about the principles of gardening (about which I knew nothing!) and relate them to personal and spiritual growth. Like I said, the insight came complete in an instant. I arrived, gave my talk, and prepared to leave. But many of the people there told me, “That was so insightful, you should write a book.” I started toying with the idea. Today I am still toying with the idea, but while I have written a forward and bits and pieces of all 10 chapters, the original insights are no longer available to me. I had a gift given to me that could have touched a lot of people, but I didn’t move with the tide when it was available.

Just about the time we moved to Pinetop-Lakeside, I had an idea for a hymn I wanted to write. It was about the atonement of Christ, and was called, “How is it Done?” inspired by Enos 7. I wrote several verses, and even had an idea of the basic tune and mode in my head. I didn’t take the time to sit down at the piano and put notes to paper, and today, I hardly remember the words. It could have been a beautiful hymn, or at least a pretty song, but it will not happen because I delayed.

Earlier this year, I had a couple of strong impressions of what to write in my “Babbling Brooksby” article, but I kept putting off writing, and the insights are gone.

C.S. Lewis said, “The more often a man feels without acting, the less often he will ever be able to act, and, in the long run, the less he will ever be able to feel.” The Lord gave me some really good pieces of inspiration, but I didn’t do the required work and now I don’t feel those inspirations anymore.

I could go on and on about opportunities squandered, but that would be a real downer for you to read. Suffice it to say that I want my children and their spouses and children to be wiser than I have been. When you feel the inspiration that is the time to act. Don’t delay or you may be writing an “Opportunities Lost” column of your own someday.

"Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting over lost days...What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it."
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“What you do is of little significance; but it is very important that you do it.”
– Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi

Love to all.