One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering. - unknown
I probably should keep some writing pads and writing utensils next to my bed as I sleep. Sometimes in the middle of the night and in the early morning hours I awaken with with thoughts for a message or story that I want to write, or just a simple thought that I would like to share. Such is the case as I awoke this morning at about 5:30 AM.
With only 16 days left in the year 2010, and in preparation for 2011, I am beginning to reflect upon some of the life lessons that I have learned from my journey through life this past year. In that time of reflection, I cannot help put step back into the pages of time, if but for a brief moment, to recall some of the things from even a far distant past that have brought me to the place where I am at this moment in time. In my humble recollection of days gone by, there are things that I could have done, possibly should have done, and a vast variety of things that I can now definitely improve upon as I continue to move forward in my life.
The past may be a nice place for one to visit, and there is nothing wrong in and of itself in taking time to reflect upon the past; however, we can find ourselves running into danger when we decide to set up our tents and dwell in lands that we have long since vacated, and probably should allow to remain vacated as far as our lives are concerned. As a result, we can become solemn, depressed, and complacent and may never have the desire to press forward to travel the road that is right before us.
As a further consequence of wanting to dwell in the lands of the past, over the sands of time, we may lose all sight and vision of those things that are yet to come. However, spending too much time dwelling in the land of the future, just like spending too much time in the lands of the past, can also present some problems along the way. Our focus and attention needs to be on what we have in front of us which is the here and now.
Sometime ago I shared with all of you some thoughts that I wrote concerning the words "yesterday", "today", and "tomorrow". In closing I would like to repeat those brief thoughts once again if I may. Today is yesterday's tomorrow. Tomorrow will become yesterday's today. Yesterday has already come and gone and has now taken its place amongst the annals of history. Tomorrow is a part of the future that is yet to be revealed. What we have been given is today which is called the present. And why is it called the present? It is called the present because it is a gift from God.
This is the moment! May we learn from the days of yesterday, cherish all of our todays, and may God grant us many more tomorrows.
