The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity once answered, “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present—the result being that he does not live in the present or the future. He lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies never having really lived.” Wow. Nailed that one, eh? The one universal truth humanity faces is that each of us eventually expires. Attending yet another funeral recently of a friend who passed away at too young of an age--- brings it into focus quickly. Do we have another day here? One more month? One more year? When we pass on--- what will be said about us? That we lived life to its fullest, and were of service to others? Or will folks say-- it’s just too bad more people didn’t really know you—and isn’t that a pity, what’s for lunch? What are the keys to encountering this day, making a difference, and being that person who experienced and positively lived life with purpose and joy? It’s simply this: Live fully --- ONE DAY AT A TIME. Living today-- right now, right here, living rightly in this moment. Yesterday was interesting. We learned and shared stuff, laughed and cried a while, worked and prayed sometimes. We gained experiences—some positive and some negative--- experiences that have shaped us into who we are. We’ve grown from these events, and have matured—and we should be grateful. But yesterday is simply a memory. Yesterday has passed forever. All the money in the world cannot bring back days gone by. We cannot undo a single act we performed, or erase a single word we said. And for that reason, we must LET YESTERDAY GO. And as Dr. Suess once remarked, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened!” Tomorrow is full of possibilities, but it’s not here yet. Tomorrow could bring burdens or sorrows, or conversely--- exciting new opportunities and great joy. But tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control. We can plan for it, take actions to help shape it, and try to prepare for it. But we can’t allow ourselves to be troubled about the future, because it has yet to come. Tomorrow’s sun will rise with splendor or hide behind a mass of clouds. Make no mistake, it will rise. And once it rises, we will face a new day – TODAY! Focusing too much on yesterday and worrying too much about tomorrow are futile exercises. Let us, therefore, resolve to take this journey together, no more than one day at a time. Have a special day.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 15:37:00 +0000
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