Today: First day of the Rest of My Life?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

In peace there are no losers.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Beautiful, simply beautiful.
Beautiful day.
Beautiful place.
Beautiful people.
Beautiful caring.
Beautiful experience.
Beautiful family.
Beautiful home.
Beautiful life.
Beautiful, simply beautiful.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Awesome healing, right guys? Gimme 5!”

[I don’t know whether He shared in the awe of “miracles,” but I know He never said this.]

D. Blog: The Rest of My Life

The saying goes that “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” On first impression, that sounds like an encouragement to make the most of today, but then I wonder…

“The rest” seems to suggest a division between past and future, a division that is not that clear-cut as I experience time. Past and future impinge and influence my present. My past counts for more than stale bread or moldy chopped liver.

“The rest” often implies what is left over after the best has been “consumed,” as in the song lyric, "Today, while the blossoms still cling to the vine..." So, was yesterday the last day of the best of my life? I don’t think so.

Thus, while the adage might invite us to live fully, to begin anew if necessary, I prefer a different way of stating the reminder, something like “Today only comes once” or “Don’t miss today, it’s all you have for now” or “The future begins today” or even “Eternity can’t exist without today.”