"The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time" ~Abraham Lincoln

It's graduation season, when commencement speakers seek to inspire new graduates by using a quote like this one. The concept of "one day at a time" had to have been a survival technique for President Lincoln who, along with duties as the nation's chief executive, was charged with the task of prosecuting a war to preserve the Union.

Whenever I think I have a lot on my plate, I think of President Lincoln's to-do list and, whoa -- there's instant perspective.

We all seem busier than ever these days. Forget about the Joneses -- I'm just trying to keep up with myself, or the concept of where I should be. But still, is it simply human nature to think that we're busier than our ancestors? Was life really simpler then? Or did our great grandparents recall the carefree days of their own childhoods -- as they tried to grind out a living, raise kids and keep house? I suspect they did.

(Sampler Update: It's coming along . . . onward to July 4th.)

My goal for this summer is to relax and slow down a bit. Like Largo the Snail in the photo, instead of seeking the shortest distance between A and B, I'm going to take the scenic route. Shall we? Good! Meet you in the park in 15 minutes . . .