Today

How often do we live in the past or worry about the future?  We tend to ignore the beauty of today – the opportunities of today – the blessings of just today.  I was reminded of this during a telephone conversation with my sister.  She was sharing with me her traditions in the start of a new year with her friends.  It was a tradition for each of them to come up with a word for the year. I thought this was a very insightful thing to do and was curious to see what word she had chosen. “Today”, she stated quite thoughtfully.  “Today?” I repeated back. And she went onto explain her reasoning for choosing that word.  “Focus on just today”, she said.  “What can I do for someone else today?”  How wise my older sister is.  It was a simple, five letter word that really holds the key to living in the manner that our faith requires.  Let’s stop our worry about tomorrow AND remember we can’t change the past.  What can you and I do TODAY only?  Today, I kissed my husband, I took time for prayer, I visited a neighbor whose husband had just passed away.  On the way to that neighbor’s house, I encountered another neighbor that was feeling a bit overwhelmed with moving into her new home and struggling to get a piece of furniture out of the back of her car.  Between the two of us, we were able to accomplish that task.  We continued to talk for a while, which I think helped her to re-focus and calm down.  Helping her helped me to realize that every day someone is in need.   After going on my way, I was blessed with witnessing my crosses in the sky – maybe God’s way of saying “you got it.”  

  If it’s only to help a neighbor, lend a kind word of encouragement or understanding, it can mean the world to someone else.  I’m reminded of a familiar quote in the Christmas movie “The Grinch”. “And what happened then?  Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.  And then, the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of ten grinches, plus two!”  We don’t have to wait for Christmas to grow our hearts – start today – live for today!

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:34