What can I do or say in 15 minutes that will interest you?  That will make my life memorable?  That will change the world?  Fifteen minutes is such a fleeting, easily wasted span of time.  I could … and too often do … flitter it away losing five Solitare games before I finally get the black and red cards in the right order and win.  Or checking my twitter account even when there’s no news breaking.  But 15 minutes — even less — is also all it takes to go from living a full, robust, influential life to death (Paul Walker’s five-minute spin around the block last week) or a woman to go from the pain of pushing to the joy of holding her warm, beautiful baby in her arms.  Fifteen minutes is the seemingly tiny amount of time I tell myself I can and should and WILL write each day.  Only I don’t.  

Use your 15 minutes wisely.  Be grateful for the minutes you’ve been granted.  And show compassion to yourself when you don’t accomplish all you had hoped to achieve.  Love yourself, fully and completely, and then love others in that very same way.  

Do one thing each day, even a small barely noticeable act, to make the world or the people in it just a little bit better.  Smile at the cashier, leave a 30% tip, hold the door for the slow-poke behind you, let the car that screwed up get in line in front of you, be patient with the annoying kid at the next table who isn’t letting you eat in peace, take a deep, full breath and appreciate life.  

Thank you for listening!