I can hardly believe that 2007 is drawing to a close already. Much has happened this year. We have had cyclones threaten our part of the world, a tsunami alert, water restrictions that have us living like camels and the Titans lost to the Bulldogs. Malcolm Fraser once said that life wasn’t meant to be easy. I wonder if he realized how true his saying would become in 2007.

It just goes to show that politicians come and go but what they say can last more than a lifetime. A carefully worded dissertation can leave a lasting impression even on those not yet born.

The same can apply to our words. However, many of us utter 1000’s of words in the space of minutes yet we fail to convey one single new idea or impact the minds of even our most impressionable listeners.

Quotable quotes are the gems among the rubble. Our speech is most commonly rubble with the odd gem scattered thereabouts. We would do well to consider our speech from time to time in order to be sure that it hasn’t completely turned to rubble, that there is still a gem or two every now and then.

Also of importance is the need to dig deep and find the rare gems among the enormous piles of rubble in this information age of ours.

What gem can you offer your loved ones and those over which you have some influence? A word of wisdom? Encouragement? Love?

Be sure to seed your pile of rubble with precious gems or your will become nothing more than a dump truck spewing forth its load from the quarry of life’s troubles.