I got away to Breckenridge, CO this past weekend, enjoying some down time with my husband and youngest daughter — including the best gluten-free French onion soup I’ve ever tasted.
On the way home, we listened to a talk by Andy Stanley on the topic of how to have a drama-free life. No drama? I’m all in. He had a great perspective — No surprise. I like his take on most things. But I pulled a notepad out of my purse and wrote down this quote:
“My present will one day be my past that will one day show up in my future.”
Yes. And yes. And yes.
If only we could grasp how our todays become our past and that todays don’t stay in the past — our past influences our future.
This is what I’ve told my kiddos: The choices you make today will affect you tomorrow. And a year from tomorrow. And five years from tomorrow.
And I told my kiddos that because I wish someone had told me that when I was much, much younger.
We can’t segment the days of our lives. Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow are linked by our choices, for better or for worse. And it’s only as we change our perspective and recognize how one affects the other that we can start making choices we won’t regret.
In Others’ Words: What’s your perspective of Present-Past-Future living?
[ctt template=”8″ link=”6yI2t” via=”yes” ]In Others\’ Words: Past, Present, Future Living http://wp.me/p63waO-2or #quotes #choices [/ctt] [ctt template=”8″ link=”0O217″ via=”yes” ]\”My present will one day be my past that will one day show up in my future.\” http://wp.me/p63waO-2or #quotes @QuotingAndy[/ctt]
Comments 15
The homemade marinara sauce that y’all didn’t put in the slow cooker yesterday, y’all cain’t be expectin’ to eat tomorrow.
Oh, very well. Another pearl of wisdom from the Inscrutable East:
He who drink wine before its time carry perpetual whoopee cushion strapped to bum.
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Now you’re just being silly. 🙂
A skill I have taken pains to hone! But seriously, not fully fermented homebrew…ugh.
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🙂
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Andrew: There is truth in what you say. No action today, no results tomorrow. 🙂
And some things take the time they take; they can’t be hurried, or slowed.
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Also true, my friend. But all things need to be started … and we need to be wise about what choices we make.
Great post, Beth. And so true. Our past is interwoven into our present and the threads will weave into our future. They are not compartmentalized (even though I wish some choices and incidences were!). Acting (making marinara sauce….) today will bring results tomorrow. Choosing with intention today will impact tomorrow.
Loved this!
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Yes, Jeanne. I, too, wish we could compartmentalize our choices … but that’s not reality. And we need to choose with intention — even then, we can’t always know the consequences, both good and ill.
“All of the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today and yesterday.” ~ Chinese Proverb
I had just posted this quote on Facebook when I found your blog post in my email. I’m thinking God would very much like for me to be conscious of tending my garden today.
Seriously though, these words keep running through my mind every time I hear more about Charlottesville, VA, and just all of the hatred and separation this country is experiencing right now. Do they really think they are going to make anything better by planting these seeds of division? Sorry…I don’t want to get political. It just hurts my heart to see the lack of love and compassion.
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Good morning, Lori,
Thank you for sharing the Chinese Proverb.
And thank you, too, for providing the perspective of planting seeds — another way of thinking about today and tomorrow.
I’ve talked with my husband and almost seventeen-year-old daughter about the event in Charlottesville, VA and the one thing I decided was I do not want to be angry. I do not want to get caught up in all the anger … what does that accomplish? It only incites more anger, more hurt …
Great post Beth – it’s perfect timing as I have a child going off to College this week!
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Congratulations on having a child head off to college, Cheryl! 🙂
Does that mean if I want to be more fit I have to get off Facebook and Exercise?