Our Train Journey

Life is like a journey on a train...with its stations...with changes of routes...and with accidents!

At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel on our side. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone.

As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of our life.  Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum.  Others will go so unnoticed that we don't realize that they vacated their seats!

This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers...requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is:  We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down.  So, we must live in the best way - love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are.

It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty -- we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.

I wish you a joyful journey for the coming year on the train of life.  Reap success and give lots of love. More importantly, thank God for the journey!

Lastly, I thank you for being one of the passengers on my train!

Diet is the key to well-being, and there are five definite no-nos if you want to live a long and healthy life.

1. High-fructose corn syrup is found in many processed foods, so check labels carefully. This insidious substance makes your body crave fatty foods.

2. Hydrogenated oil also known as trans fats promotes hardening of the arteries.

3. Sugar gives you an insatiable urge to eat more carbohydrates. If you do eat sugar, a diet high in fiber will minimize its effects.

4. White flower, and products made from it, is nothing more than empty calories. It will also send blood glucose levels soaring.

5. Saturated fat is a major artery-clogger.

Pat yourself on the back if you regularly go to the gym to improve your fitness, strengthen your heart and lower your blood pressure. But before you pat yourself on the back, wash your hands. Gyms are a hotbed of germs and bacteria from the bathroom soap dispensers to the water fountains and just touching them and then touching your mouth or nose could make you sick, especially if your immune system is compromised. Prevention magazine has identified germ hot spots in the gym, some of which may surprise you.

1. Your gym bag
Where do you toss your gym bag? From the trunk of your car to the locker room floor, germs hitch a ride on the bottom of the bag. How to zap the germs: Keep a can of Lysol in your bag and spray it after each use.

2. Your water bottle
When you open the top of your water bottle after a workout where you have touched gym machines, fitness balls and the like, you are transferring the germs on your hands to the bottle top and then into your mouth. How to zap the germs: Get a reusable water bottle with a spout you can pull open with your mouth instead of your hands. Also, fill your water bottle at home.

3. TV remote control
How can anyone endure a treadmill without a TV? The built-in remote controls on cardio machines are breeding grounds for the worst kind of germs, including MRSA and E. coli. How to zap the germs: Don't touch your face while you're working out. Once you're done with the cardio machine, wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based gel.

4. Bathroom soap dispenser
while you're supposed to wash your hands you rid them of the harmful bacteria you've picked up in the gym, some of the worst germs are lurking in the bathroom soap dispensers. How to zap the germs: Use a paper towel to touch the soap dispenser before your hands touch it.

5. Water fountain
Forgot your water bottle? Not only is the button to turn on the water fountain rife with germs, but so is the spout.

Springtime means spring cleaning. But besides the broken toys and outgrown clothes, what else should you toss and update? Use these guidelines when you spring-clean to stay healthy, safe and prepared for the new season.

Sneakers
If you're a runner, experts recommend replacing your kicks every 350 to 550 miles, before they lose shock absorption and stability. Buy a new pair before your old pair wears out so you can break them in gradually.  Rotate in your new sneakers for a few workouts each week (or less than half of what you usually do in the old pair), especially if you're changing models or brands.

Smoke Detectors and Fire Extinguishers
You've probably heard that you should check your smoke detectors' batteries twice a year. (Use daylight saving time, when you change your clocks, as a reminder.) But even with fresh batteries, smoke detectors that are older than 10 years may not work as effectively and should be replaced.  For fire extinguishers, check the gauge to make sure they are fully charged.  If they're not, recharge or replace it. Some extinguishers are disposable and can only be used once.

Cosmetics
You'll likely notice when makeup starts to go bad -- any change in color, consistency, or odor is a sure sign that it's time toss a product. While most cosmetics last for at least a year, the Food and Drug Administration recommends discarding eye makeup, like mascara, every three months. They may have bacterial growth, which can lead to an eye infection. And you may need to replace all-natural brands sooner because their plant-based ingredients may breed bacteria.

Medicine
All medications -- both prescription and not -- should have an expiration date printed on their package or, in the case of ointments, embossed on the crimp. If a medication isn't in its original packaging, don't use it. But don't flush or throw away prescription drugs, which can contaminate waterways.

Vitamins
If you take vitamins or supplements regularly, they should run out before they expire. For those of you who don't take your vitamins daily, don't hang on to them past the expiration date, when they may begin to lose effectiveness. If the bottle doesn't have a date stamped on it, throw it away -- and opt for a different brand next time.

Toothbrushes
Change your toothbrush -- or if you have an electronic toothbrush, swap out the head -- every three to four months, advises the American Dental Association. That's when bristles start to wear down and aren't as effective at removing cavity-causing plaque. It's also a good idea to toss your toothbrush earlier than that if you've been sick, if you're more susceptible to infection or if the bristles become frayed.

How do people stay married for 40, 50 and 60 years or more? Turns out, they know something the rest of us don't. Those secrets were revealed to bachelors Matthew Boggs and Jason Miller, who traveled 12,000 miles around the United States to talk to couples they dubbed the "Marriage Masters" -- people who had been married four decades or more. The men, who authored the book "Project Everylasting," shared the seven secrets for a long and happy marriage:

1. Divorce? Never.
Translation: Commitment is king. Couples who stay married a lifetime enter their marriage with the mindset that divorce is not an option. So when arguments, disagreements and other issues arise, they learn to work them out and don't run away. The only deal breakers are the three A's: addiction, adultery and abuse.

2. There's no such thing as a perfect marriage, only perfect moments.
It takes work to create a great marriage. As one wife said, "Whoever said being soul mates was going to be easy?" And her husband of 52 years added, "Marriage is a bed of roses--thorns and all."

3. Unpack the gunnysack.
Translation: Don't be afraid to fight. Say what is on your mind. It's the unexpressed frustrations that will cause more problems in the long run as they turn into resentments that will eat away at your marriage. Those who have been married for decades advise "unpack the gunnysack" by opening up the lines of communication.

4. Never stop dating.
It's not just the quality of time you spend together; it's also the quantity that counts. Keep the romance burning by stoking the fire. Go out on dates, take getaway weekends and long vacations with just the two of you.

5. Love is a four-letter word spelled G-I-V-E.
Be selfless. Marriage is not 50/50. It's 60/40. You give 60 and take 40. And that goes for both of you.

6. Join the CMAT Club (Can't Miss A Thing).
Life is short, so enjoy every minute of it. It's easy to get caught in the day-to-day busyness of life and in the process take your spouse for granted. Life is an adventure and all too soon it will end. So relish your sweetheart's presence now.

7. The discipline of respect.
You can have respect without love, but you can't have love without respect. According to all those interviewed, the No. 1 secret for a thriving, everlasting marriage is respect. When you respect your partner and your partner respects you, everything else flows into place: trust, connection, authenticity and love.