Today not Tomorrow

- Pope John Paul II

I am the kind of person who has the unfortunate habit of living for tomorrow instead of today.  Occasionally, I enjoy rare bursts of inspiration when tomorrow and today merge, and instead of continuing to put off today’s work until tomorrow, I live for today and take care of my business.  I have to admit, I would much rather live a life full of today’s than tomorrows.

The even more unfortunate truth is that I am certain I am not alone.  Neither am I in a small minority, or even a large substrate of the population.  The people who live for tomorrow instead of today permeate our existence, leaving those who choose today to enjoy the many fruits of this world.  Those of us who sometimes overcome our silent pledge to procrastination occasionally taste the joy the world offers when we power through the resilient bonds we have placed around ourselves.  

- Latin for "seize the day"

We begin to develop the terrible habit when we are young, fostering our addiction like a newfound pet.  I will put my toys away later.  I will brush my teeth in the morning.  I will do my chores after this TV show is finished.  Eventually, minor delays become major obstacles to moving forward in our lives.  School work succumbs to the inevitable; we choose to sacrifice the quality of our work for some simple pleasure that ultimately, if examined further, will turn out to be trivial at best.

- Robert Kiyosaki

Our youth fails to fend off the infection and by the time we are adults our fault has real consequences.  How many have put off paying bills until you get the late notice accompanied by a significant late fee?  How many of us have put off an auto repair until the car dies?  What is a credit card but a way of paying for something later that we want now.

How many people do you know, including yourself, who put off discussing something important with a loved one until too late.  The results can vary from broken relationships or unwanted pregnancies to death.  Most of the time biting the bullet and getting it over with is the better decision.

Ironically, I began this blog last Sunday but ran out of time before lunch.  Did I return to in and finish that afternoon?  No.  Did I have time and choose to do something else of lesser consequence?  Yes.  Have I had time since then?  Yep.

Now, I am not suggesting we avoid taking times to do what we want instead of what we should.  Making decisions about our life is part of free will.  I am asking you to reflect upon your decisions and actions and decide how they are made.  Do you actually live by free will, or are your decisions determined by a series of earlier actions that lead to an addiction to procrastination.  I can understand any reluctance you might feel.  

Turning the magnifying lens on ourselves is often quite hard because we have to admit our faults.  But, I think it is an important step towards leading a happier existence.  So, take some time today and look back at yourself.  Or, maybe you can do that tomorrow?