I'm sure you've all heard the song always look on the bright side of life at some point or another. I use it to make fun of happy people that annoy me, or to annoy people that are grumpy about something stupid but at the moment I actually mean it. We've also all heard the expression eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Not really wanting to be glutenous, or an alcoholic, or even annoyingly pleasant there is something to that. Live in the now. As Prof. Harold Hill says,"...You pile up enough tomorrows and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you but I'd like to make today worth remembering."
I'm fine planning certain things a week, two weeks, even a month in my future that pertain to big events usually surrounding family but as far as planning 10 years from now I'm learning that it isn't all that worrysome. No one can see that far in the distance no matter what he claims. And oh I know some of you grumbling out there about your retirements and 401k's I need to plan my future so I have one. That's all fine and good but only relevant if you are continually doing something now that betters it somehow. Working on the things you can prepare for.
Family values that turn into family traditions that are passed on from generation to generation. Journal entries over a lifetime that your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren can read, study, learn from, laugh and cry over. Investments such as a home bought and paid for, musical instruments( if you play them), furniture, cars, stock something that is tangible versus the pile of money you keep in your bank account for a rainy day that collects nothing but dust and a few cents on the dollar. Lessons on how to be self-sufficient, growing a garden, hunting, fishing, how to work with knives, rope, you know all that 'boyscout' stuff. How to fix your own car, be your own electrician without killing yourself. Worthy lessons. These are the things we need to always work hard on teaching and mastering ourselves.
Education is vital to our growth and the growth of our communities and the world around us. Disagreeing with something doesn't mean you should turn a blind eye to it in fact sometimes, at least for me the opposite occurs. I want to know more, be better prepared if I need to challenge it somehow so I have a fighting chance. Learning excites me. I love the challenge and although rough at times with misunderstandings I thrive when I figure it out, learn something new, can do it myself.
Despite my health I keep going. It's not always easy to be frank I've even prayed for death when I'm in enough pain. All too quickly my mind changes to oh c'mon you can do this. It hurts today, do what you, make what you want of it. I have learned to talk with my children more on those days. Work on becoming a better listener. A better friend. Even if I can't help around the house that day or cook dinner. I know and my family I hope knows that next day could be different and I could have plenty of energy and mobility. I hate feeling sick though. Gets in my way all the time.
I like waking up thinking I only have to worry about today, today. I'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. I choose to make the most out of my todays. I hope everyday is filled with laughter and hope, joy and love. I do my best. My best may fall short for others but let them worry about that. I'll worry about me first. My family's well being, my home, my friends. It makes me look forward to all the possibilities of tomorrow when I don't worry about how it should go and just live in the moment of today.
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