by Ron N. Sullivan

Created on: February 14, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Walk through the valley of the present,
Dwell not on the dust of the past,
Fear not the road to the future,
For this moment might be your last.

Mark Twain once said, "I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened." The wisdom of these words speaks well, for reality lies not within us, but within our words and actions of each day.

We hurry, we worry, and we race madly through our lives. Is there a pot of gold at the end of life's rainbow? In all our flurry of activity, we pass by our days as though they were endless, blurred flowers growing neglected at the side of the road.

Concentrate, focus, become part of your day - not merely a passerby. Remember the seconds that make up your life: the sweet taste of a juicy orange, your child's warm breath upon your cheek, the smile of a grateful neighbor, the smell of a fresh summer's rain, the roaring laughter of a long-time friend. Don't live by hours, days, months or years. Take time to look at not only the landscape, but at the parts that make up the whole: touch the warmth of the summer sun upon the sandy beach; cherish the plaintive whistle of the spring wind blowing past your ears; watch the rhythmic sway of the rustling, leafy trees; smell the golden, red leaves of fall that float crackling to the ground; taste the hardened and sweet maple syrup on the white, freshly fallen snow. These are the true moments of reality, the greatest gifts of life.

Greet the morning with a smile; it will bring magic to each day and to each person you meet. Dwell on the moment that your footsteps stop and greet the one you love, the one you can touch, you can hold, and you can feel in your heart.

Concentrate on what is, not what was, or what might be. The Buddhists refer to this as mindfulness. Live always with your senses - touch, smell, taste, sound, and sight. Understand the beauty of the moment and the world around you.

Live seven days a week, not a weekend of two, or five beautiful days will be lost forever. You can ill afford the loss of one single day.

Learn from the children at play, for they are always mindful of the present.

Remember the faded shadows of yesterday, be aware of the distant light of tomorrow, but always live with great happiness in the brightness and strength of today.

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