Live Happy … Today – Day 1

There are three types of people: a “yesterday person”, a “tomorrow person” and a “today person”.

A yesterday person is one who is locked up in the past. Such a person will always refer to how good things were in the past (even though it might be an illusion). Such people also struggle to forgive, as they cannot or will not set aside bad things done to them in the past, in order to move forward to a better future. The danger of being a yesterday person is that you may wake up one morning with the realisation that your life has passed you by and you have missed precious time with your loved ones, due to the bitterness and unforgiveness in your life.

A tomorrow person is one who is primarily focused on the future. Such a person struggles to be content with who he or she is and what they have. They constantly strive for more and better, with the false belief that more success equals more happiness. Do not get me wrong, it is good to set goals and follow your dreams, but when it affects your relationships with your loved ones in a negative way, you are on the wrong path. The danger of being a future person is that you may wake up one morning with a study full of trophies, awards and certificates, but no one to share it with. Your life would have raced past you, but you never seized the special moments along the way to share with your loved ones.

This brings me to today people. These people are aware of their disappointments and mistakes in the past, but they do not allow it to hold them captive. Today people also set clear goals for the future, but they do not allow it to suck them in. They do not miss opportunities in the present to make a difference in another person’s life. Today people are aware of the sad colleague in their office, the beggar on the street corner, the police officer who has delivered good service, the elderly person who needs assistance to cross the busy street or the child who longs for a hug – and they choose to give the compliment or become the person to fulfil those needs. Today people choose to live happily today because they realise that once today is over, they will never get it back.

In Philippians 3:13-14 Paul writes, “… one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Let us learn from the past and plan, but choose to live happily today while we keep our eyes open not to miss opportunities to make another person’s life better, by being there to meet their needs. God bless.