“Worrying
is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength— carrying two days at once.
It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of
its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
― Corrie ten Boom
There are some things we engage in
despite our better judgment, and worry is one of them. Today’s strength we give
to tomorrow when we hardly have enough to give to this day. Or, perhaps it is
yesterday we have loaned our strength to – and we find regret or hurt or
resentment or betrayal cast us way back into the past, and so we are of little
use in this day, today.
What can we do to stay in the
moment and to refract the present light toward us?
We can gaze into a flowerbed or
focus on bubbles or chew on gum. We can take, for a moment, leave for our
senses and enjoy the fact of space as a child would. Not escaping, we are
simply diverting our attention into the present moment; a partial eclipse of
the anxious diversion and we are back into a useful moment.
What have we done, but simply
break the chain of onerous thinking? Getting light and creatively into our
world is the partaking of a manageable burden; a burden that makes any present
burden somewhat pleasant and not just burdensome.
The Tenuous Nature of
Strength
God, through the nature of life,
never gives us strength to borrow, as there is strength only for the moment. It
is wise, therefore, to employ our strength for when it is needed – in the now.
Who knows what is in the offing
for tomorrow – and, frankly, who should care? Well, fortunately God knows and
cares. He knows that even though we may be overwhelmed, we have the resources
within and around us to deal with that problem when, of its time, it comes.
Yesterday is done with, apparently.
Unless we bear a grudge or have room for regret – considering either worthy
enough of our strength – to loan against it – we have copious room for the
present moment and to give everything its appropriate due.
Today is beautiful, for it is all
we have. Today has beauty because it is real as our eyes and ears and taste and
touch and smell bear witness. Today has power because of the things that can be
done or not done. Today can transform us and we can be transformed in the day.
***
Today is beautiful because it is
God’s time. The past is a memory and the future is a hope. All we truly have is
the present.
© 2013 S. J. Wickham.
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