What each day needs, that shalt thou ask. Each day will set its proper task. ~ Goethe
If you think today is just another day, think again.
Today is all you have, or all you can count on. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow may not come. But today can be embraced and enjoyed and made the most of.
Writer/author Annie Dillard once said, “How we live our days is…how we live our lives.” Think about the amazing wisdom of that! If we spend our days stressed or fragmented or unhappy, those days accumulate into a stressed, fragmented, and unhappy life.
But…if we spend our days in grateful wonder, love, and joy, the life we create reflects the same.
Some say we can’t control what happens to us, especially the bad things. That’s true. But we can control how we respond to everything in our lives.
Therein lies our power to create a well-lived life. Not a perfect life, not a life without sadness or pain, but a well-lived life.
Embrace today and do your best in all the day brings. You’ll ensure your memories of yesterday are good ones and future tomorrows are worth looking forward to.
My grandfather encouraged me to memorize the writing below when I was young. It has been attributed to ancient Sanskrit writings and was included by Sir William Osler in a printing of his address entitled, “A Way of Life,” made to a class at Yale in 1913. It is wisdom that, for me, has stood the test of time.
Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn,” Look to this day, for it is Life…The very Life of Life.In its brief course lie all the varieties and realities of our existence…The bliss of Growth,The glory of Action,The splendor of Beauty…For Yesterday is but a dream,And Tomorrow is only a vision,But Today, well lived,Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, And every tomorrow a vision of hope.Look well, therefore, to this day.”Such is the Salutation of the Dawn.What habits have you cultivated to ensure that each day is lived to its fullest?
Photo credit: “Man greeting dawn” by Sergey Galushko via Deposit Photos
Pin this:
Here’s What It Means to Leave the Corporate World to Work for Yourself
Thank you, Elizabeth, for reminding us how important living in the present is. I love that quotation. Your timing could not have been more important at this time.
Thank you so much, Jan — for reading and commenting. I’m glad it resonated with you. Happy holidays!
Thank you so much, Jan! I thought I had already replied to your very nice comment, but I’m not seeing it. I SO appreciate your taking the time to read and leave a comment. I loved that quotation too — so glad it resonated!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for another insightful post. I think keeping a gratitude journal has favorably impacted my attitude each day. I don’t write a lot, but in the choosing of one or two moments to record, I review the whole day and most often realize how much pleasure, meaning, or learning occurred. P.S. That poem your grandfather taught you includes such wisdom. So glad you shared!
Thank you, Nancy. I am so fortunate to have had the grandfather I did. And I’m also glad to have you confirm my own experience — that expressing gratitude in any form is meaningful and life-giving. And I love the observation that it doesn’t take a lot of time to make a big difference.
I like the way you explained about the importance of today. Really we are not conscious about the value of time. But I think here you give some excellent tips which help us to utilize our valuable time. Thanks.
Somehow I missed this great comment, “Living Quotes.” Thank you for visiting Heartspoken and also for the wonderful motivation you provide through the well-research quotations on your site (http://www.motivation.net.au/) and FB page: (http://www.facebook.com/motivationdownunder).
Brad, I’m so happy to have you here. Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
I’ve just checked out your brand new website (http://www.bradboardman.com/) – love it so far! And thank you for including me in your “Ports of Call” list. I love the lighthouse and the nautical theme. It will serve you well as you talk about lights and beacons and navigation and all sorts of other wonderful analogies that people will understand and relate to.
Someday, I want to see pictures of that progeny!
Good Saturday Morning, Elizabeth!
I saw the title of this post flash across my screen somewhere the other day and realized it just would not do if I didn’t get over here to read and ponder with you.
These really are life’s issues, aren’t they? You’ve done such a nice job of laying out the case for us. Since, indeed, life is but a vapor and since none of us are promised tomorrow, let us be about Today!
As you’ve mentioned, well-lived Todays will certainly yield Yesterdays well worth remembering. I like that!
In parting, I wanted to let you know that I’ve linked your site here to my brand new blog site. There’s just the very beginning of content there now (front page only), but I hope to get the first post up today! Better get moving!
I recently went through a couple of rough weeks – nothing seemed to be going right. And I reflected on WHY? Was it me, my attitude, my relationships? Yup! I was in an unhealthy professional relationship – I quit it. I was stressing over a family thing – I talked it out with the family member. And then I felt better, lighter, brighter. Yes, there are still a few problems, but I try to rely on the the healthy relationships and build on those.
Ah, Karen, thank you for sharing this.
I believe you’ve hit on some things so important about embracing each day. One is being honest with yourself and others about what is wrong and what’s important to you. Related to that is the importance of valuing yourself and taking care of yourself. If we don’t value ourselves, it’s hard to value others. If we don’t value others, there is no glue there to cement a meaningful relationship.
This is important stuff, and we’ve got to be willing to talk about it!