Morning cup of optimism
01/24/2010 04:53 a.m.

I sit here this morning and I think about the past, the present, and a great deal about my future. I contemplate how everything thus far has played out so to speak; the good, the not so good, the moments I'd like to forget...the moments I do not regret, and of course the moments in which I know I will never forget. I do not know exactly why I am in such a contemplative state, ..but I am, and feel compelled to write my thoughts....and through what seems to be some sort of a blanket of threaded emotions...I am driven to write this:

"Look not back on yesterday...depend not on what the future may bring...but see only with clarity what is within the present; for the here and now is the one offering that really determines one's present happiness." A quote that I have formulated...yet almost subconsciously. Perhaps my inner self trying to put myself into "check." I'll admit to focusing a bit to much on the past; perhaps not externally conveyed through words or action; yet a definite internal struggle. No matter what, one's past holds a whirwhind of emotions: happiness, pain, bliss, fear, struggle, sorrow. Perhaps regret, bad judgement, and if your lucky a lot of happiness and bliss...and a little less of the rest. Then there comes the intense thoughts regarding my future: will I accomplish all that it is that I want to accomplish...yet more importantly..what I am MEANT to accomplish as a christian, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, sole-mate etc. I am now thinking about the very quote that I felt so compelled to create and write down...and yes....yes, YES! (this is not an herbal essence commercial btw lol) It all makes sense! Why so much thought regarding my past...and why so much thought about my future...why not more thoughts regarding TODAY!!! What a gift! There are families that I work with everyday with uncertainty, not about the past, not so much about the future...but uncertainty regarding TODAY. Will there child make it through THIS day? Not yesterday... not tomorrow... but TODAY. I think about this and am reminded of how great the gift of the present is...the here, the now, this minute, this hour...THIS DAY! What happened yesterday is merely a passing. What happens tomorrow is uncertain..but what is certain is today. How often we forget. So I write my quote again: ." Look not back on yesterday...depend not on what the future may bring...but see only with clarity what is within the present; for the here and now is the one offering that really determines one's present happiness" So today I choose to not think about yesterday...to not worry about tomorrow, but to focus on today. Today I will thank God for the love which he has instilled within my heart and I will pray for guidance so that I can be all that it is I should be...Today, not what I could have been yesterday and not what I hope to be tomorrow...but what I can be TODAY! I will not use tomorrow as a crutch so to speak for making up for today...for perhaps my last hour is contained within THIS day. I will try to make a positive difference TODAY to those that I love, attempt an act of altruism to someone who I am perhaps not very close with, and will remember that TODAY is a gift...tomorrow is no guarantee and yesterday has already passed. So yes, how I choose to perceive and act on the the present...the "here and now", will be my "thank-you note" so to speak for the gift of today that God has given me. I will not take it for granted...it would be as if accepting a gift from a friend, putting it aside right in front of their face, and waiting to thank them tomorrow. We can always strive to do better with every passing day...yet I am choosing to be my best today...and the outlook which I have today will truly determine my present happiness...and today...it's gonna be a real good, feel good kind of a day. :0)