Recently, I finished writing my life’s story. It was rewarding for me to look back on nine decades of memories. I finished the story by sharing my hopes, dreams, and prayers for the future.
This made me think about life as a gift, and perhaps this is why it’s called ‘The Present’.
I do believe that life is a precious gift that each of us has been given. Every day, it offers us the opportunity to grow, to love, and make meaningful contributions to our lives and the lives of others.
We live life in the present, creating memories for the future. If I want my memories to be happy, with no regrets, then today I must create a happy and regret-free day.
I realised that by living a day at a time, having a positive attitude, and understanding that ‘now’ is all the time I have, I can create a happy and contented life.
To me, happiness is an emotion that I feel in the present, as well as in yesterday’s memories.
Having a meaningful and contented life and loving what we do is different for each one of us.
In life, we each make mistakes; however, these mistakes can be learning opportunities that we gain from, if we have the right attitude. This means taking responsibility for our actions and attitudes. And of course, having a willingness to learn, and to listen to others’ points of view with an open mind.
Thinking of life as a gift, what I do in the present becomes so important to me in how I live the rest of my life.
It has taken me many years to understand that what I want and need most in my life is to be healthier, stress-free, and to have better relationships with family, friends, and people I meet along the way.
Contentment to me is a state of mind. It’s an attitude that takes both self-awareness and dedication.
To be contented means being satisfied with what I have and who I am. I have found that I am most content when I incorporate these activities into my daily life:
- Set a daily goal
- Allow myself some relaxing now-time
- Do something nice for someone
- Learn something new or different
- Keep a positive attitude
By setting myself these five daily tasks, I show myself that I have responsibility for my life today. These tasks also give me something to look forward to. They create a sense of interest and the feeling that I am doing my best. These are my ingredients for a contented and meaningful life.
A quote that I read recently from Orison Swett Marden really summed up these same ideas:
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, and hope for tomorrow.”
Although I have finished writing my life story, there is still a lot to look forward to.
Tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, and that is why it is called the present.
I hope that you enjoy your present and remember that love is what opens it up for you.
– Nancy.
When You Get To My Age 