(Excerpted from Koinonia House Jan 17 Personal update- Very timely and good read, please follow the link to Khouse to read the whole article)
I just returned from my 60th class reunion for the United States Naval Academy. When I graduated 60 years ago, that was a statement second to none. It was a big deal to graduate from the Naval Academy or West Point back then. We were young, and we all had our futures booming out before us. We had taken oaths to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and we were ready to go out and serve our country.
Sixty years later, we’re now in our twilight years. As I talked to people at the reunion, I noticed that most of my peers had stopped looking forward. When we graduated, we had our lives before us, but many of the guys now spend their time only looking back at the past. Some of my peers had remained in the military until they retired, and all the ones I mixed with admitted an emptiness. They had put in their time, and they had retired. They’d appreciated retirement, but there’s just so much golf one can enjoy.
Only one group didn’t seem to be looking back, feeling empty. The one group that seemed to be looking forward were the born again Christians. Those of us who know Jesus Christ have something to look forward to. We have our callings in Him, and we have confidence that He continues working in our twilight hours. We have all eternity ahead of us, and we know the work we do for the Lord has eternal consequences. It gives us perspective.
Looking Back
Looking backward has its points. I look back, and I recognize that I had a very successful life even from a secular viewpoint. After I graduated from the Naval Academy, I served in the Air Force. I then served in the intelligence community and went into corporate development and the business world. I had a tremendously interesting life building companies, and I participated in more than 100 deals in mergers and acquisitions. God then allowed me to take my once-hobby of teaching the Bible and build Koinonia House.
People often ask me about the secret to my success. Why did I succeed in my professional life? As I look back, I realize that, by the grace of God, I was surrounded by some phenomenal people. I believe the secret of success is to surround yourself with winners, with strong people.
As I look back in life, there is only one area where I have regrets. My life was exciting for many reasons, but there is a place where I have deep regrets to this day. I took my wife for granted. I didn’t abuse her physically or anything, but I took her for granted. It’s a grief that I have. I didn’t appreciate the preciousness of what I had in her. For so many years I was too busy climbing the next hill, and I abused her by not really taking care of her. Now, I’ve lost Nan, and not a day goes by that I don’t wish I could just pick up the phone and call her. If my looking back can help anything, it would be to encourage all you young guys not to make the same mistake I made. Be wise. Pay attention. Discern which are the truly important things in your lives while you still have the time to invest yourself in them and to enjoy them in return.
Clink link above to read the rest-