Life is a Gift

Life in the present is a magical, mystical, moving moment. There is no past; only the memory of it. There is no future; only the anticipation of it.

Pause and savor the present moment – the now of our lives, that evanescent slice of time which has been given to us and which, in reality, is all that we can absolutely count on, because that is all that we have to work with.

This can be a difficult and painful concept to accept, because most of us – this writer included – can easily delude ourselves into believing that we have tight control over the events of our lives. All our successes: jobs, good marriages, children, achievement in public life, good relationships with friends and family, good health; all tend to confirm that.

But, when life-altering events hit us smack upside the face: the loss of a good job, betrayal by people whom we have trusted, good health turned sour, the death of a loved one etc., we are reminded in a not-so-subtle manner that personal control is fleeting, and that life is for now – not to be squandered in narcissistic self-indulgence – but to be lived fully in the living present.

Note: The daffodil was photographed locally this spring by a friend and photographer who wishes to remain anonymous.