Article #252 Looking Forward

             Most individuals are looking FORWARD to graduation day or getting married or starting a family and/or eventually retiring from a career. Suddenly, you find yourself there in the FUTURE. Then of course, you start to look BACK to earlier times when the kids were still at home or you had to go to work every day, felt more needed or were younger, healthier, etc.

            Whatever happened to the PRESENT moment in your life? NOW today, this hour and this moment? How can you make it your happiest, most fulfilling time? It won’t happen by looking back OR forward to better times, but by focusing on TODAY. Filling yourself with GRATITUDE for another day on earth breathing fresh air, being alive and hopefully mobile, having a family that though imperfect is yours to love!

            It’s important to leave a LEGACY for your family with your daily EXAMPLE of gratitude and optimism. No one enjoys relating to a crabby old parent or pessimistic grandparent. Make it a daily CHALLENGE that if a critical or negative remark comes from your mouth to promptly follow it up with two positive remarks about the same subject. Example: Oh no, it’s going to be over 110 degrees today BUT say instead (1) Aren’t we fortunate to have air conditioning and electricity to keep us cool AND (2) This summer heat is part of our high desert climate that gives us wonderful warm winters. Try it today. It will do you good and be a model of behavior for your descendents to follow.

            As you find things in your life to be positive about and become interested in your child or grandchild’s world, you may discover a special teaching moment to share with them some special hobby. By trying to live in the NOW moment, your life can become more meaningful and memorable. On a recent trip to visit family, I was feeling badly that a grandchild was playing computer games. Then I thought to myself…Well you are here, isn’t there something you can suggest to do TOGETHER that could make this a better time? I was able to interest this grandchild in some family history books I had brought to share. We ended up tracing his family tree on the Internet at www.familysearch.org, a free family history website. If you are dissatisfied with your life, look no further than WITHIN to make necessary changes. NEXT TIME: Not Knowing.