I love living in the present.
It’s easy for us to get distracted in life. Some are prone to hang onto the past. They either over-sentimentalize what has been and remember only the glowing moments, or agonize over what happened and try to replay it over and over in their minds hoping it leads to a different outcome. It can’t.
Then there are those who put too much emphasis on the future. They focus only on their goals for the future, planning their future years excessively, or become irrationally anxious of things that will probably never come to be. They tend to forget about what’s important now.
But then there’s today – that gift of 24 hours that is just as valuable as any time in your past and more important than any time in your future. It’s what you have been granted to use now, and it should be used well.
We shouldn’t live ordinary days. No, that’s not quite right. We shouldn’t consider any day as simply ordinary. Every moment should be continued precious.
Today I am coughing and wheezing from a cold that has decided to take up residence in my body. I’m staying away from people and trying to drink my fluids. Yes those who know me, the Gatorade miracle drug is at hand.
It would be easy to write off today as useless and not see the special. But there have been a lot of gifts of grace along the way. I had a phone interview this morning and other than a few coughs I was able to get through it well. My niece left me some leftover pizza so I didn’t have to think about cooking food. I got a text from a friend who is fighting cancer and she had a very good week last week. She even made me happy Duke beat Carolina – because it made her happy. Precious moments that make me smile.
It’s a simple day, but a magnificent one. Physically I may not feel well, but my heart is full.
We need to let the sun at our backs warm us and not allow the sun in front of us to blind us. Today is enough. Sit contented.
I love living in the present, because it allows me to attempt to fully experience the joy of all of my days. And that’s a worthy goal.
“Always say ‘yes’ to the present moment… Surrender to what is. Say ‘yes’ to life – and see how life starts suddenly to start working for you rather than against you.” – Eckhart Tolle
In the Box, Out of the Box 