Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying

December 26, 2016

Get busy living or get busy dying.

As this dreadful year—2016—comes to a close, Andy Dufresne’s observation won’t leave me alone. (The Shawshank Redemption—a movie based on a Stephen King novella, and a Best Picture nominee—tells the story of the wrongful imprisonment of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins).) Those of us who walk freely can only imagine the import of Mr. Dufresne’s observation, especially as an innocent convict. Still, the words instruct us.

Life marches on, inexorably, until it ends. In too many ways, along the way, we get messages which suggest a dichotomy, as between living a long life … and living well. Exercise one hour every day and you’ll extend your life X years … but if you

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