TODAY IS WHERE WE SHOULD

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind... let it be something good." -- Author Unknown

When was the last time you did something good --to others and yes to yourself? Well, you have another chance today. Today is meant to be good but you have to get involved in making it so too. God has already placed in it good things-- the beauty of nature, wonderful people, the blessings of life and living but you are expected to render your own good more than what you receive. Is that right? Yes it is!

Everything is there in your today -- the challenge, opportunity, the reasons, the whys and hows, and time as contained in a day. Now the rest is all up to you to create that good. Be like a garden water sprinkler -- it sprinkles and showers good ole water on all the plants in the garden and helps them grow into something grand and spectacular for eyes to see and appreciate. That's precious.

That's what you-we are here for - to make this world a better place to live in, to cheer up weary hearts, to give joy and hope to them who think there's none, to make another person feel brave and strong in the midst of trials, to make others see that God is there even if he seems to be not, to help someone see his worth and feel good about himself, to help someone understand that it's okay to make mistakes but must learn from them well enough, and to believe that the power to make life and the world better is all inside of us.

We can do that with kindness, love, understanding, sympathy, compassion, and the willingness to stop awhile from our busy lives to listen to a weary heart and soul.

Today is where we should. Because .....

"when tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, in its place is something that you have left behind..... let it be something good."

NO DAY BUT TODAY

Have you seen the movie 'Rent'? It's a Broadway musical turned into a movie. If you haven't yet, then go see it or get the cd. You won't regret it.

"No Day But Today" is just one of the several beautiful songs in it. This one is on my list of all time favorites.

You know why? Because it tells me this...

No day but today......

...to follow your dream
...to take dance lessons
...to finish that book
...to paint that masterpiece
...to get a sauna with your wife..or husband
...to treat your kids to Disneyland
...to be friendly to your neighbor who hates your red hair
...to write to your congressman about misfits in the government
...to give away your old stuff to people who might have need for it
...to pray - and pray - and pray not just for yourself but for others too
...to believe in yourself - there is only one you
...to forgive and be forgiven
...to sleep under the stars
...to hug your parents and grandparents
...to be kind to your household help
...to be a friend in both good times and bad
...to teach your child how to bike
...to buy yourself a bouquet of your favorite flowers
...to write that long overdue letter
...to eat healthy foods and stay with it
...to exercise regularly and stay with it
...to believe in God
...to not wait for a special occasion to give
...to say thank you
...to do a good deed
...to say 'no' when you should
...to say 'yes' when it's good
...to get down from your ivory tower and get down to real life and true living
...to plant a tree -- lots of it
...to love and take care of Mother Earth
...to recycle garbage
...to not throw garbage into rivers and streams
...to clean up your clutter
...to listen to reason and good intentions
...to get a job and not bum around anymore
...to use your college education to better lives... yours and others
...

There's more, much more. So how about adding to this list? Or create your own in your blog. Let me know 'cos I'd love to visit. Or maybe share here what list you have now. I would be interested to see it and I'm sure our readers would too.

LIFE MUST BE LIVED AS WE GO ALONG

I was rummaging through my old files today with the intent to trim it down to the barest essentials; the unimportant would go straight to the garbage bin when I stumbled on this very old article quoted in a daily local paper by a well-known columnist. It was entitled ‘THE STATION’ and written by Robert J. Hastings.

To quote..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Life is something like this.

We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We see ourselves on long trip, but uppermost in our minds is the final destination. We fret restlessly, damning the minutes that drag … waiting, waiting for the station. “When we reach the station, that will be it" we cry.

Life has many stations, like:

- When I’m 18

- When I buy a new 450 SL Benz

- When I put the last kid through college

- When I have paid off the mortgage

- When I get the promotion

- When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after

But …

Sooner or later we must realize there is NO station, no one place to arrive at once-and-for all. THE TRUE JOY OF LIFE IS THE TRIP. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.

It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. REGRET AND FEAR ARE TWIN THIEVES WHO ROB US OF TODAY.

So …

stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less.

LIFE MUST BE LIVED AS WE GO ALONG. The station will come soon enough.

Unquote.

TODAY IS WHERE YOU BELONG

At every chance I can get I try to punch in the idea that our todays are far more important than our yesterdays or tomorrows. You know, there is nothing one can do about the past or of the things which have had their time. Neither can one do more for tomorrow ---if nothing is being done today.

It’s as simple as that.

But still I see and hear people whining for the better times of yesteryears. And a few more so angry over the bitter lessons of the past. Like it was yesterday’s fault that today isn’t good. That’s a waste of time looking back trying to find fault there. If there is anyone or something that must be responsible for the hits or misses of life --- that could only be us. Whether bad times and bad things happen or whether life could be better or so we think, we still have some control over the situation. Maybe, just maybe we may not be able to change our situation but certainly we can control or change how we think look or handle it. It can only be as good or bad as we see or make it to be.

We must understand that the odd and crazy things which happen to us are not there to mess us up, although it appears to be that way. But that is only the appearance of things. The best part of that experience is at its core --- where the pearls of wisdom reside. You have to get to that. You have to scratch through the hurting and painful surface of the experience and dig deep down to the heart core where the good lessons dwell. Because in truth, heaven does not throw ‘garbage’ in our direction, rather it pours out blessings in bucketfuls. Although sometimes it may not be easy to see it; I know because I’ve been through that too. But trust me there’s always a blessing in there just for you. Yes there is because blessings often come wrapped in strange uncomfortable packages.

Tomorrows – what is it about tomorrows that you have to die for? It’s not even here yet; it’s off in the far farthest distance. And do you even know if you will get to it if at all? Why measure your life by the yardstick of tomorrows. There’s no assurance there. It’s a void, an empty space, a big unknown, a I’m-not-sure-what’s-going-to-happen place. You’re so fixated on the idea that tomorrow is all that matters. So you gear yourself up to do everything in your power and resources to get that tomorrow you want and in the process sacrifice family, relationships, personal fun and laughter, health, courtesies and sensibility, even God – these things without which can unquestionably make you less and less of a person and human being.

"We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are." -Calvin and Hobbes

Come to the present.

Come to your TODAY. This is where good things begin – where you can build your dreams and miracles – where life is happening in all its beauty wonder and awe – where even in its sorrows a hidden gem can lie within – where you can enjoy being a husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, friend, et al – where you can enjoy the world better as it moves along with time – where you can appreciate your presence and contribution to the rest of humankind – and where you can be blessed a thousandfold. This is where you learn and discover who you are and what you can do.

Here is where…
-you can work to vanish the shadows and fears of uncertain tomorrows.
-you can build sturdy bridges to your tomorrows transforming it into one you desire.
-you can begin building your dream.
-you can put in your best work – your best self.
-you can truly live courageously
-you can create your miracles

Here is where you will know that what you do with your todays define your tomorrows. This is where you belong.


“Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest and the playtime." -- W.E.B. Du Bois