This is the first post on my new blog.  The blog is very much a work in progress and is really not where I thought it would be at this point; it's getting close but certainly not fully developed; most of the links are functional but some are empty.  That being said, I wanted my first post to be about something special, and certainly Mother's Day fits the bill.  But first, a bit about the concept of the blog/webpage. 

Throughout the Bible, "Forty" is a common unit of time....forty days of rain for Noah, forty years of wandering in the desert for Abraham, forty days of fasting for Jesus.  As a part of my Lenten introspection, it occurred to me that I could use this unit of "forty" to manage my days, weeks, months, and years.  Focus on Forty represents my start at this effort.  Quite simply, I believe that by breaking my world into units of forty, I can better manage my time.

Forty Minutes:  What do I need to accomplish RIGHT NOW?  This represents the immediate priority in my world...a sustainable amount of time for staying focused.

Forty Hours:  What is really pressing in my world...I have two days to accomplish this...what demands my attention Today and Tomorrow....a short work list of priorities.

Forty Days:   The near future...just shy of 6 weeks... In forty days, if focused, a person can accomplish so many things...organizational, professional, personal, spiritual.  And by working hard on a concept or project for 40 days, true behavior changes will happen...old habits can be replaced with new habits.

Forty Weeks:  Not quite a year, but enough time to create and birth a human being so big ideas can be brought to fruition in forty weeks.  If you can't stay focused on your goal for forty weeks, you are not likely to be successful.  One can easily make significant personal, academic, spiritual, cultural, and societal changes in forty weeks.

Forty Months:  Maybe the most critical unit of time, as it helps direct our immediate, short-term, and mid-range plans.  Slightly less time than the US involvement in WW II, 40 months is enough time to graduate college if you work hard, to conceive, create, and complete most plans, and to substantially change both your and your world's perception and reality.

Forty Years:  Okay, so this is a bit of a stretch, but we need long range plans too..not just forty months, but substantially longer.  As I compose this, I am not quite 55.  Do I have 40 years left...depends on many things, most of which I don't control.  But my grandfathers made it with sharp minds till nearly 90 and my mother's aunt Gigi was 102 or so when she died (and quite sharp).  So I am going to live like I am going to live a long time...plan, prepare, and partake...I like that...plan, prepare, and partake....sounds like a future essay.  I don't want to run out of ideas and dreams before I run out of heartbeats...we are what is in front of us...that which we are chasing/pursuing.  So my forty year plan will include finishing a wonderful career, enjoying a wonderful family and retirement, and someday my friends and family will be able to celebrate the then concluded wonderful life with which I have been so richly blessed. 

Those of you who knew my father know that I, at least physically, bear a pretty strong resemblance.  Dad loved to write and among my Earthly treasures none are more valued than the letters he penned.  I have tried to write my children, but as Olivia told me just this morning, "I have to give it to Mom to translate."   Inasmuch as there is no chance that my handwriting will improve, it seemed that this was an appropriate medium.  My goal, personally, for the blog is to post my thoughts and recollections for my family.  It will be an open site (though comments have been suppressed on the blog, the email is active).  Facebook has been an interesting experience but so much of the content is mundane and/or dribble and I get tired of sorting the wheat and chaff.  Some of the essays will be linked to Facebook but most will simply  be on the site.  I have also included many inspirational writings, scripture, and recipes.  On this site you can find among other things my father's handwritten chili recipe and my sister's final opus, a 700 page cookbook.  While refinements are forthcoming, these are functional.  This website exists for me and my family and I offer the opinions for exactly what they cost the viewer:  NOTHING.  I will speak my mind and should something offend you, 1) I'm sorry and 2) go somewhere else.

Okay, that being said, on this, Mother's Day 2015, to the honor of she who bore me and HE who created me, FocusForForty is now going live.