Today I’m thinking about the future. As important as it is to live in today, the future is really where it’s at. Living in the moment is an excellent idea, but only if you’re valuing and contributing to your future.
My family always had a dog when I was a child. I continued the tradition of pet ownership into my adult life. When I was forty, my last dog died. I didn’t get another dog after that, at first because I was too heartbroken, and then because I was thinking about the future.
I have future plans to travel that don’t include a dog, so I don’t get one now. It takes a lot of self-control to make decisions for one’s future.
Exercise is the same way. I’ve spent 2 hours a day at the gym for months. I’m just now starting to see the change. I’ve gained a few lbs, but basically my body looks the same as it did three months ago. I’m doing it for the future. I’ll need to be strong on my travels.
When we think of the seven deadly sins, they are all in the now. Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth are all what we fall victim to if we don’t consider the future. Untempered by what the consequences may be, we give in to the very best of the moment and fall victim to poor planning.
While it is important to live in the now, our behavior should reflect what we want for our future. If I want money in the bank in five years, I have to stop spending it today. If I want to be strong when I’m fifty, I must work out today. If I want to grow old with someone, I have to love him today. I’m going to do my best to enjoy the now, really be here and embrace it, but I’m not going to compromise my tomorrow.
Aware that I actually can’t control the future, the best that I can do for myself is not do anything to intentionally fuck it up. So here we are, living in today, not regretting yesterday and planning for tomorrow. I ask myself with every choice I am aware that I make, “does this support the future I want?” I see how strong I actually am when that answer is no.
#garbageday
Comments
Post a Comment