Shakespeare said "If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches and poor men's cottages, princes' palaces. I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done, than be one of the twenty to follow my own teaching". Astute and learned people of yore have laid before us all the truths as they are and it is upto us to imbibe all that we can from them and not repeat their mistakes. But then again, until it hits us, no amount of books and lectures can actually succeed in drilling sense into us.
If we take a moment to analyse our thoughts, more often than not we'd find ourselves worked up about yesterday, a year back, and worry ourselves sick about what may happen in the future. If something went wrong in the past and still has room for correction, it is now that we can rectify it. If there is some plan we can make use of to ensure a bright future, it is now that we can think about it. But that is where it ends. If we take care of the present, the future will take care of itself. Getting unusually worked up robs us of our peace of mind big time! All that we have is now. We take living so much for granted. Even when we have no guarantee that we will live to see the next moment. Why get anxious, depressed, irritated and frustrated over things that are either yet to come or have long gone by and in the process miss out on living? This day, this minute, this time will never come back.This is the first and the last time we will live this moment. Why not make it large and memorable, not only for ourselves but everyone we are associated with? Why wait for an opportune moment to say things we've always wanted to say, do things we've always wanted to do and be the person we've always wanted to be?
Sure there are pressing concerns that keep gnawing at us until they are dealt with. But a lot of it is imaginary too. And we must be objective enough to realize it. Negative thinking, wishful thinking, imaginary conversations.It's the little things that accumulate and avalanche into unmanageable things.
Everyone we come across has something to teach us. An argument with someone over your beliefs could for instance teach you, that no one is wrong, nor are we right. Every argument is one angle out of the 360 degrees. One facet. Instead of quibbling over what we think is right and fighting to get our point across, why don't we just celebrate the differences? If everyone was our clone and everything always fitted into our scheme of things, life would be so boring. Waiting for your turn at the supermarket, in the parking lot, for that dream job teaches you patience, and the people who bring these to us are just His instruments.
It brings to my mind this childhood prayer which goes:
Help me believe in what I could be
And all that I am.
Show me the stairway, I have to climb.
Lord for my sake, teach me to take
One day at a time.
Chorus:
One day at a time sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from you.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today, show me the way
One day at a time.
Do you remember, when you walked among men?
Well Jesus you know if you're looking below
It's worse now, than then.
Cheating and stealing, violence and crime
So for my sake, teach me to take
One day at a time.
(Chorus)
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