Dear Mike,
I may send more letters but it felt like the right time to share a few 
thoughts as you near your ending in Champaign. These are a few thoughts
that I have concluded in my life time. The great news is they are free
and, hopefully, not boring.
Some ending thoughts about life…
If you plan to like people, invest in others and find a life’s partner,
expect some pain. Some of that pain will be crushing. But, some
happiness will stay with you forever and will make all your efforts worthwhile.
.
Some people close their door to life, love and friendships and life becomes
a trail of shadows and shallow encounters. It’s a personal choice but
once the door is closed it is often irreversible. Keep your doors open
and the porch light on.
Most great adventures have good and bad parts. The most powerful motivation
to keep going is often finding love or fulfilling a dream. Without powerful
motivation, the bad parts of life will often stop people. Decide what you
seek, dream or wish to accomplish and you will find your best life’s greatest
power there. Dreams will often rest in childhood awaiting your discovery.
Lots of people do not seek their dreams.
Few people love their work.
Many settle for what life gives rather than seeking what they need and 
want.
For many people, life is a drudgery with small pockets of relief.
A few seek their dreams and find power and joy in life.
We each decide for ourselves.
Watch out for ruts along life’s road…
Angry feelings can eat us up. When people offend us, hurt us or make
threats, it’s tough to forget. Often anger can be verbally worked out.
Sometimes it has to be fought out. When we encounter frequent problems
with anger, we need to look at changing things outside our lives or assess
what we’re doing to provoke anger in others. Some people live angry
lives and it’s best to stay away from them.
Sometimes we get very hurt and quit trying. Quit should never be your
option. A little rest from time to time will happen. The risk
is that re-starting is tough. In some ways, Lincoln’s Challenge helps
people re-start. What say?
We can not hide for long. Other people should never be the total source
of our happiness. Even in great love, we must still remain engaged with
life and our goals. People who seek a life partner who can meet all
their needs will always remain dissatisfied. A wife can offer a partnership,
a sharing, a place to rest but a wife can not live your life for you.
Have fun.
Make life an adventure. Seek to learn what you do not know.
And when things get tough, remember that you are perfect in God’s eyes.
You are exactly what He wanted.
Anyone who is living life’s adventure will make some mistakes. Expect
that you will make some mistakes. But mistakes will erase as you continue
to move forward.
My Conclusion;
You have everything you need to succeed.
.
I believe before LCA you found your greatest relief from life with mind
altering chemicals. They do work for brief periods of time but they
can never replace the joy that life can hold and they cause the eventual fall
of every life they touch.
I believe you will re-engage with your life and try again.
Will you succeed? I believe you will.
Soon you will leave Lincoln’s Challenge.
I remain here to help if you seek it.
Click here to get home.