Address of R.W. Bro. Hermann Waxl
on His Official Visit to Golden Rule Lodge, Sept. 13, 1999

Live for Today but Plan for Tomorrow

Good evening Brethren, welcome to all.

Brethren of Muskoka-Parry Sound, a new Masonic year has started and you have elected me to the highest possible office in our District and I thank all of you most sencerely for this prestige and great honour.

My responsibility for the coming year will be to serve Masonry in our district - not to rule it. This I intend to do, with your help.

This evening I would like to share some thoughts with you on:
Live for today but Plan for tomorrow.

This summer, thousands of photographs have been taken in Muskoka and Parry Sound District of beautiful scenery, wild life, camping activities, etc.

Have you ever wished later that you had taken a photo of something but you let the opportunity go by, maybe waiting for another chance that did not come?

This tells us something about life. Not to put off living but to live now! Too often, we may wait for the right time to do what we have longed to do and life goes by before we do it.

In our relationships with the Brethren of our Masonic Lodges, friends and loved ones, too often we delay in showing our love and affection until it is too late. How often we put off something to be done right now, and then forget about it? It is call "good Intentions".

I seem to remember a country lyric: "The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions." But Brethren, we don't have to go all the way to Hell, we can do something about it right here and now!

As an example:
Every month you receive in your mail, bills, bills and more bills and you know they have to be paid. But lo and behold, there is a letter of invitation from the Master of your Lodge, inviting yu to join him at a regular meeting at such and such date and time. Maybe you say to yourself, "Thank heavens, not another bill."

You're right! Isn't that nice!!

But just to be sure, check the bottom of your summons. It may or may not show you a dollar figure of some amount (dues owing). Sometimes you cannot win.

As you read your summons, you say to yourself, "Yes, I should go to the next meeting, see the friends I have not seen for sometime." But, as the day approaches, you may say "Heck, I will see them next time."

There may not be a next time!

Your personal bills will always be paid by your family, but maybe you or your friends will not always be there to visit and enjoy.

I call this "Living for Today." -- "Planning for Tomorrow"

William Penn, the father of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love said: "I expect to pass through this life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again!: Something to think about!

Many years later in a church bulletin, it said "Miss Johnson sang "I shall not pass this way again" to the delight of the congregation!!!

Well... Every coin has 2 sides

Brethren: Reminisce on Yesterday
Plan for tomorrow
But always live for today.

To sum it up: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift... so we call it the present.

Thank you.

R.W.Bro. Hermann Waxl, DDGM