One day at a time
It seems that there is not enough time — in a lifetime — to do all the things one wants to do or the difficult things one needs to do.
Procrastination is passiveaggressive behavior. It justifies delays. One postpones living life. A cynic once remarked, “It was never the right time.”
When is the right time? Does kismet determine all events? Are we not the masters of our own fate? Perhaps, only to a certain extent. One cannot control or predict the future.
“There will be lots of time.” Or so we like to think.
The optimist sees the hourglass half full. Sand seeps from top to bottom ever so slowly. The pessimist sees the hourglass half empty, with sand trickling down rapidly.
Poet and philosopher Kahlil Gibran once wrote, “I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires.”
When one is hopeful, one waits for the rainbow, the promise. He looks for the silver lining, the radiance of the sun after a storm.
So many events happen in a spectrum — from light to dark.
The artist visualizes colors in a prism from white (the presence of all colors) to black (the absence of color). It has been one long, dizzy, roller-coaster ride of sudden curves, exhilarating climbs and thrilling dips, and swirling colors.
There is beauty even in darkness. The specks of light illuminate even the blackest night. There have been so many spectacular sunsets with glowing rays of gold, copper, and bronze. The moonrise, luminous against the velvet sky, was a lantern guiding the way. Heavy fog would evaporate into fine mist. The dewdrops hung like crystal on the leaves. The lake would shine like a polished silver mirror, reflecting the moods of the heavens.
Fragrant flowers would bloom amidst the aromatic pine trees and evergreens.
Even in winter, little buds would break through to defy the cold. Lavender and poppies, sunflowers, tulips, and magnolias marked the passing seasons. Nature mesmerizes and invigorates the wandering pilgrim, the lonely nomad.
Woven together, the threads of life have become a unique tapestry of texture, colors, flowers, scents, and emotions.
Viewed from a distance with the passage of time, one can discern a luminous white light that emanates from above. The mystery of the Divine Plan unfolds.
All that really matters now is inner peace and love.
The simple basic things are essential. The completeness of oneself and spirituality can only grow from trials and cathartic experiences.
Material things — money, houses, cars, boats, and toys — can easily be taken away. A lifestyle drastically changes with a sudden reversal of fortune or the passing of a loved one. False friends disappear. People can turn nasty, dismissive or cruel when one is down and alone.
How does one survive the challenging, painful times?
By flowing with the tide. By allowing nature to take its course. By accepting that things always happen for a reason. We may never fully grasp the meaning, but we should learn trust and acceptance.
By letting go and forgiving. By facing and resolving difficult issues. One draws courage from deep within the soul — to stride into the future.
Life is a cycle. One can begin anew. Serenity comforts the heart. Live life, one day at a time.
“A butterfly comes and stays on a leaf — a leaf much warmed by the sun — and shuts his wings. In a minute he opens them, shuts them again, half wheels round, and by-and-by — just when he chooses, and not before — floats away. The flowers open, and remain open for hours, to the sun. Hastelessness is the only word one can make up to describe it; there is much rest, but no haste. Each moment, as with the greenfinches, is so full of life that it seems so long and so sufficient in itself.” — “The Pageant of Summer,” Richard Jefferies, American poet