My mom used to say that each day she woke up was a
good day. I think often our first waking thought sets the mood for the day. If
we wake up energized, or whether it takes three cups of coffee to pry open the
old baby blues, what the day brings is often our mental attitude.
I walk by and take a quick look at my wall
calendar to see if I have an appointment, a meeting, or if I have a free day. I
try not to dread anything too much. If I have a doctor’s appointment, I show up
on time (well, fifteen minutes ahead of the appointment) and go in when they
call my name.
The next doctor appointment I have coming up is my
annual Medicare physical. They always ask if I’ve fallen since the year before,
and the answer is usually “no.” Well, that is not going to be the answer this
time because I’ve already taken four tumbles. At least (knock on wood) I haven’t
broken any bones, and I’ve always been able to get up on my own.
On a daily basis, I usually check my handy-dandy
list to see what I’m supposed to be doing that day, but often I do what I feel
like doing rather than what is scheduled. The list is to keep my tasks and
goals in mind, not to work like I have an hourly job. After all, there has to
be some benefits to being retired.
Today is the present and will only be a memory tomorrow.
So, if I decide to ditch all responsibility and have lunch with friends, or go
on a day trip, I just do it. I have no regrets for the days I took Mom to the “boat”
because that was time I got to spend with her. Whatever I let go for a day’s
outing was finished in a timely matter or on a schedule appropriate for a
retired person.
The saying that yesterday is history and tomorrow
a mystery is true enough. Our history is what makes us the complex beings that
we are and form many of our opinions, attitudes, or biases. Strong-willed
people can overcome many of their negative influences, while others wallow in self-pity
for the hard life they had. One size does not fit all.
At times in our lives, we may find the mystery of
tomorrow to be scary and uncharted territory. When a loved one faces a serious
health crisis, we can become overburdened with anticipatory grief. For most of
us, the older we get, the more grief we encounter. The best we can hope for is
that grief becomes manageable, we learn to appreciate the loved ones who remain
part of our lives.
Cherished love ones become treasured memories.
Their influences shaped us into the person we were meant to be. We became a
person who was strong enough to go on, love that we were loved, face each day
with courage and hope, take pride in our accomplishments, and be tolerant of
our failures. Forgiving others is admirable, but to forgive yourself for your
could have, should haves, goes a long way toward realizing that today is
the best present of all.
Copyright @ September 2026
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