No excuses

Once I was working 70 hours a week for a newspaper in Cody, Wyo. Call me crazy. I've been called a lot worse. One week the editor/publisher approached me and asked that I do one more story. I said I didn't have time. He kindly sat me down and gently reminded me that my life would be more pleasant, not just that year but many years down the road, if I never used that excuse again. Excuse? I felt I was at the breaking point. Truth is, most of us live life at 50, 60 or 70 percent of potential. Rarely do we go up to 80, 90 or 95. The only people that give 110 percent are those lifting Volkswagen bugs off button-nosed children when the heroes get a burst of adrenaline in an emergency.

The lesson learned is there is always enough time for what's important. We do what we need to do, in matters of work and relationships. No more, no less.

In many jobs, however, there comes a point of diminishing returns. This economic law works in all areas of life to keep us from expending unnecessary energy in unneeded ways. It helps keep us sane.

Now, in building our married relationship, there are many things to do. The list seems endless. We need to do wills, combine finances, make sure each other knows what we want in terms of funerals. Many people are afraid of death and the unknown and put these things off. We have plenty of things to fear -- a recession, saving for retirement, niggling health details. There is no need to put energy into fear of the unknown. If we can put these things in our rearview mirror in the next few months, it will enhance our quality of life and help build our relationship. Love is in the details.