Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost
Eight lines that shape my life
Robert Frost wrote this poem, and I think about it almost daily. The last line is one of my most valued life principles.
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.– Robert Frost
It reminds me to be present. It reminds me to enjoy experiences instead of trying to capture them. It reminds to cherish memories but not live in the past.
And it highlights a shared human trait. We all chase moments and feelings that are powerful because they’re not permanent. It’s a paradox.
The most beautiful thing you’ll experience in your lifetime will likely be a one-time event. Literally once in a lifetime. Some of its beauty will be a direct result of its rarity.
When that moment comes, are you going to fully experience and enjoy it? The greatest moment of your life? It might happen seconds from now or decades in the future.
Or instead will you attempt to photograph it, try to document it, or otherwise half-experience it?
Stay present, grateful, and ready for every single moment. When a really amazing one comes along, experience it as fully as you can, and try to be content when it’s over. Even the memories will eventually fade. Nothing gold can stay.
