It seems our lives revolve around this perpetual affinity for tomorrow. Forget today, I will eat better tomorrow. I will treat my spouse better tomorrow. I will start working out tomorrow. I will fix it tomorrow. The problem is that tomorrow is not guaranteed, and when it arrives it suddenly becomes today. Yet, we neglect this and continually commit ourselves to a better life … starting tomorrow.
It’s like a broken record looping around until we run out of tomorrows. You see, we are putting our lives into the hands of a day that may not exist. We are gambling our lives, relationships, and goals away on a phantom jackpot. It’s all about today, not tomorrow.
How many times have you witnessed someone who has run out of tomorrows mention those final words of realization and wisdom? You will never hear a person expressing regrets over spending too much time with family, not working enough, or experiencing too much of life’s offerings. Rather, many people who are faced with the end of their life express regrets of just the opposite.
You see, the threat of not having a tomorrow forces us to see the value and urgency of today. Proverbs 27:1 states, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” We cannot bank on the future. Today is your best friend. You must learn to live each day to the fullest, living as though there is no tomorrow. Your quality of life and relationships will skyrocket to unimaginable levels in these conditions.
I remember when I was a kid I would get into arguments with my two sisters. My mom would break it up and make us apologize to one another. Then she would give us this lecture about how we would feel terrible if something happened to one of us. That thought would grip me with terror because I could not imagine my life without my sisters. Suddenly our petty argument seemed so pointless in the grand scheme of things.
While we joke around with my mom that her disciplinary tactics might have emotionally scarred us, the truth is that she taught us the value of life … today. It instilled in us the importance of making the most of each moment we are given here on earth. It is not safe to assume that we will always be given tomorrow or a second chance to be the best we can be or to express our love to those special people in our lives. It also means we cannot count on apologizing or fixing something later; it must be done now. We simply must “seize the day.”
You might be thinking this is a slightly morbid way to live, thinking that anyone and everyone could die at any moment. That is one way to look at it, but the focus is not on death but rather life. Living for today calls us to stop pushing our life and relationships off until tomorrow but rather savor them today. Tell your parents how wonderful they are today. Express your love and gratitude to your spouse today. Accomplish your goals today. The focus is on squeezing every last drop of life from today rather than hoping you will have the opportunity to do so tomorrow. Thomas Jefferson says it well, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”
The life that orients itself to the present is a fulfilling life. It allows you to prioritize your energy to things and people most deserving, and each tomorrow you are blessed with is viewed as a gift rather than a guarantee. This mindset is like an insurance policy against regrets: when you have given your love, appreciation, and energy to those most important in your life, there is nothing to regret.
Ask yourself this: if I knew that (insert spouse or family member here) wasn’t going to be here tomorrow, how would I treat him/her today? What would I say? Don’t focus on the potential loss but rather on how the thought of it can encourage the best life possible. It’s all about being intentional and making the most of today.
