While You're Busy Making Other Plans . . .

I'm sick today. This is definitely not something that I planned on happening nor, for that matter, really needed to happen today.

Because I spent quite a bit of time last night worshipping the toilet gods, so to speak, I ended up missing out on this morning's Passion Buckets audition at EnergySolutions Arena. Dallin's wife gave birth to a baby boy yesterday, so he did not make it, either, and John was absent because of work. The five remaining members of Passion Buckets, I'm told, went ahead with the audition regardless and gave the best performance that they could under the circumstances. Thank goodness we recorded our version of the anthem on CD.

Because I'm sick, I'm also currently missing out on the BYU vs. USU football game in Provo as I write this. As a birthday present, Biz and Jeff graciously gave me one of their tickets so that I could go to the game. I should be there right now along with my dad, Steve, and Becky. Instead, I'm watching the game at home on TV.

More than once today, the words from John Lennon's song "Beautiful Boy" have gone through my mind; specifically, the line that states, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

I was first introduced to this song when Richard Dreyfuss sang it with that less-than-perfect voice of his in the movie Mr. Holland's Opus. Mr. Holland's has since become one of my favorite films, while "Beautiful Boy" has become one of my favorite songs.

John Lennon said a few dumb things during his career and lifetime, but he also said and wrote some amazing stuff as well. "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" is truly, from my experience, what much of life is about.

Such has certainly been the case for me today. I had people depending on me to be places, and there were places I wanted to go, but I could do neither. Yet somehow it's okay.

I also write this on the eve of another birthday - yet another cause for reflection today. The years just don't slow down at all once they speed up. It is also the eve of another general conference of the Church and another opportunity to be instructed at the feet of men and women of God.

Whatever plans I may make, I am looking forward to the future and whatever it is that life may have to offer me.