APPRECIATING THE PRESENT MOMENT

 

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You know, this is so true. Sometimes I forget what a lovely day I'm having...... just because I focus too much on something else. So I keep reminding myself that nothing should be too great nor too grand to ever stop me from appreciating the present moment........  that lovely presence of pulsating life in the here-and-now.

That now moment when you feel the oneness with time. None of the  'I have to do this or that..'  .....or worrying about tomorrows....  or pining for yesterdays already gone. Just being in that now moment of being. Appreciating everything that is there in that experience of ...... life!

Hugs, friends;  I feel so blessed just remembering you.

YOU'LL ALWAYS GET A CHANCE WITH YOUR TOMORROW

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Big thanks to friend Mr. Quote Man for this wonderful quote......

'Tomorrow is the most important thing in life.
Comes into us at midnight very clean.
It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands.
It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.'
 (John Wayne)

Tomorrow gives us a chance for a clean slate to start our life with. Yet some say that we never get a chance in life. Well, this poem says otherwise. On the contrary it says that we get a chance every day..... everyday to create, to build, to shape, to forgive, to try it one more time, to improve on something, to live anew.

That's great, isn't it?

But did you see the catch there?  '.....It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.'  You see, the chance it offers us is connected with yesterday's lessons. Meaning, we will and can create a new day and life armed with yesterday's lessons and learning. We cannot build something with nothing at all. A carpenter cannot hope to build a structure without the proper tools of his trade and the necessary materials for the project. There always has to be something of value, no matter if it be minute or colossal-tangible or intangible, which will give us that mighty push forward to do something.

So what could those be?  Those could be many different things to many different people, I now understand. I asked a few friends and they looked back to their yesterdays or yesteryears in serious retrospect. To quote.........

'...  a firm resolve not to be poor for I have known the misery of poverty'
'...  a strong spirit to fight injustice for I have learned the bitter lesson that justice delayed is justice denied'
'...  to build on good character for I have learned that money and fame does not make the man'
'... to value good relationships for I have lost good people with carelessness and neglect'

To name just a few.

They were ready for it armed with the lessons of their yesterdays. Nope, they didn't wait for that  'one big chance in life'. Because they knew that they would get it everyday.  My friend summed it up with this.......  'You'll  always get a chance with your tomorrow.'

Indeed.....

"It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands.
It hopes we've learned something from yesterday."

Blessings, everyone. Tomorrow's waiting.
(Thanks to the internet for these lovely pictures.)

YESTERDAY TODAY TOMORROW

--- How many times have we gone crazy over something which failed in the past? When things went wrong and we couldn't do anything about it though we tried? When people came into our lives and brought it some sunshine magic and rainbows and yet we didn't notice? When trust and expectations were thrown out to the winds by the mean hand of someone we looked up to? Such bitter thoughts and unpleasant memories can break a heart. We may try to piece it back together again if given that chance, we certainly would want to change things where it needed change. But we can't. No more. It has already gone beyond our control. Because yesterdays are now gone. Gone for good.

--- What about tomorrow? Why do we dread it so much? Why do we punish ourselves hard to achieve a tomorrow we expect to be happy with? Why do we live as if tomorrow is all that matters? Is it really? Are you sure that all those things you have fiercely gathered will assure you just that? Are you even sure that tomorrow will come? How long do you expect to live? What dreadful thoughts! Enough to lose sleep over, elevate your blood pressure, push your migraine to the edge of the cliff, and drain you of your energy, inner spark, and life. And yet tomorrow still is to be born and that too is beyond our control.

--- What then is there left for us to live? Just one word -- TODAY. Today is where we live our life. In our today is sufficient challenge, opportunity, burden, problem, joy, sadness, sorrow, fear, success and failure, and prayer. Today holds enough for us to carry. Today is sufficient unto its own. We don't need the burdens of yesterday or the anxieties of tomorrow added to the present load. How much can we carry? Today is everything that we need. Living today with the best we've got and with the best of what we are will vindicate the past and will take care of our tomorrow. And you know what, this is how Somebody up there meant life to be --- that life be lived one day at a time.

(The picture above was shot by Malen)

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