At a farbrengen during the days of sefira (at some time in the years 5651-5653, 1891-1893) someone said to my father, “The Alter Rebbe’s chassidim were always keeping count.” My father took a great liking to the saying, and he commented: “That idea characterizes man’s avoda. The hours must be ‘counted hours,’ then the days will be ‘counted days.’ When a day passes one should know what he has accomplished and what remains yet to be done… In general, one should always see to it that tomorrow should be much better than today.”