“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” ~ Albert Einstein
Remember when you were a little kid and you couldn’t wait to get older so you could do what the big kids were allowed to do? I remember how impatient my youngest brother was to reach his 16th birthday so he could get his learner’s permit to drive, while my other brother was eager to graduate from high school so he could go away to college. Some of us also looked forward to being the legal age to purchase alcohol. It seems that when we’re young, we always want to be older.
It’s quite a different story when we actually get old. Then we begin to look back fondly on yesteryear and rave about how wonderful things used to be. It’s easy to steep ourselves in nostalgia as the Web abounds with sites devoted to life in decades past. Nearly every day I see a post on social media with a photo of something like a hooded hair dryer or a wringer washing machine with a caption “Do you remember…?”
It may be comforting to think about the past, but if we spend too much time reminiscing about the happiness we once experienced, we risk missing out on happiness that’s lying in wait for us. A Cherokee Indian Proverb advises us, “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” However, there are two important things we should hold onto from the past: our memories of those we love and the lessons we have learned.
You will not be able to live for today if you still carry anger from the past. In Life Lesson #7, I write about how important to your peace of mind it is to forgive those who have wronged you, but to remember the lesson you have learned from the experience.
One of my friends suffered through a very painful and difficult childhood. When she was six, her mother left her and her two younger brothers with their father, who was unable to cope with three young children. He gave up custody to his sister, who had two teenaged boys. My friend lived in constant fear of her cousins, who would emotionally and physically abuse her and her brothers. She grew up carrying intense anger at both of her parents, her aunt, and her cousins. It wasn’t until she went through treatment and therapy for prescription drug addiction that she learned how her past was preventing her from living a happy life in the present.
Life Lesson #2 focuses on having no regrets because of the lessons learned from all the things we did or didn’t do. There was one regret I had a difficult time letting go. If Mulligans were given out in life like they are in golf I’d use mine to give more to my children. It wouldn’t be money or material things, but more of myself and my time. As a single parent I worried about supporting them monetarily when I should have been concerned about supporting them emotionally.
Children grow and change so quickly we need to treasure every moment. We also need to document them. Take photos not only of key events and milestones in your child’s life, but also of the everyday moments. Fill out that baby book you got at the shower. Journal the fabulous, funny, and frustrating things your child says and does. My daughter writes hilarious posts on Facebook about her life with a teenager, a toddler, and a newborn. The comments in those posts are often from parents who have similar stories to tell.
Another way to live in the moment is to stop worrying about the future. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan for it, but I’ll cover that in Life Lesson #18. Tomorrow is going to arrive whether you worry about it or not, so concentrate your energy on creating a life in the present that will prepare you for a good life in the future.
When we’re young, we dream about the future; when we’re old, we remember the past. Let’s just make sure we pay enough attention to the present by living for today.
NOTE: This is the year I celebrate (?) seven decades residing on this planet. My journey so far has taught me many life lessons, so I decided to share some of them with you. I’ll be posting one each day from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Yesterday: Take Risks
Tomorrow: Plan for Tomorrow
