The gift of the present

Slight not what is near though aiming at what is far.
-- Euripides (480-406 BC) Greek Playwright

What is right in front of is usually the most important thing in the world. You cannot change the past nor can you truly control the future. As my cousin says: "Today is the present and should be treated as a gift." Unfortunately, some people do not understand nor appreciate what they have until they lose it. This loss may seem like nothing big at first - for their dreams of the future are even more grandiose! The problem is that if you disregard what you currently have, you may never have it again and lose the chance to enjoy it.

Some "gifts" are family, friends, stability, health, and society. We will often long for the days when prices were cheaper, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders. Alas, we cannot turn back time but we can enjoy the time we currently have.

I have to laugh because my father's motto was: "He who dies with the most toys wins" and yet my father does not have many of the gifts of today nor the toys of tomorrow. Greg and I have a world of possibilities in front of us but if you lose sight of what is important today, and get caught up in what society tells us what is important, and then we aim for what we currently don’t have and push aside the gifts we do. As I tell Greg - it does not matter if I am rich 10 years from now - for he is what is truly important and that monetary gain means nothing if I am a widow. It is for that reason that we make time to spend together and when making appointments or arrangements, we look to the other to see if it will take away from our time today with them. (smile) I am not promised tomorrow with my husband, so I will cherish today with him.