Todayw⁴

TODAY IS A GIFT - THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE PRESENT

 Francesco Petrarch, the first "Renaissance man" said, "It is appointed for us to lose the present in the expectation of the future." He was obviously aware that we spend a large majority of our time somewhere else other than in the present moment. "Planning for the future, worrying about the past so much so that by the time you reach middle age the two horses, Past and Future, are engaged in a life-and-death race along your internal time line." Competing for your vitality, stealing your present. The time you spend on past responsibilities, past regrets, past relationships, eats into the time available for growth and progress toward your future growth.

For anyone who has ever read C.S. Lewis', Screwtape Letters: Wormwood (a devil) said it was one of their goals as devils to cause people to focus on the future. "We want a whole race perpetually in pursuit of the rainbow's end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy now, but always using as mere fuel wherewith to heap on the altar of the future every real gift which is offered them in the Present."

So don't miss the moments and beauty that are around you today. Live every moment with love, grace, and gratitude. Be happy with what you have and excited about what you want. You'll never see the gift of the present again.