Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery…. but today is a gift… that’s why it is called the ‘present’... “
When I was younger I used to love this quote because I used to look at it as a witty play on words.. and whenever I’d want to seem philosophical it was my go to phrase to impress those around me. As I grow older I’m realising that this quote has been imprinted in my mind.. I find myself unconsciously going to it every morning as I wake up...and with each day that passes I realise it is no longer simply for its wit!
We are living in a world which glorifies busy.. a world which started to heal only because we were forced to a stop. And it was while I was forced to stop that I started appreciating the little moments which up to now seemed meaningless… How often are we caught up in our stressful lives.. darting from one thing to the other… setting one goal after another barely having time to savour the accomplishment we’ve just succeeded in? How often have we stopped to appreciate and take stock of what we’ve achieved so far? Or stopped to appreciate those around us.. or better yet… showed them our appreciation? We are in pursuit of happiness in our next item checked off on our list- a new career move, a diet, a makeover, a new relationship- and more often than not this results in us living in our escape to what “will be” - the life we live in our imagination.
This song always manages to recollect me… it is the song I choose to start my personal prayer time with because of the constant repetition of the words here and now…I am able to shut down for a moment and be present…. and I always end with the intention of echoing the words here and now in my daily errands so as to be more present!
So may we be encouraged to appreciate the now! May we be able to describe the taste of our coffee in the morning.. May we be able to remember vividly the last time we laughed so hard we cried… May we remember to check in on that friend who opened up to us… and may we be able to be happy with our here and now!
Below is a Youtube link and Spotify link to listen to Here And Now by Paul Baloche.
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