Today is a Gift

What if every day became a gift rather than being an entitlement?

As you live your life today, think about the day. Think about having the opportunity to live one more day. Was the day owed to you, or was it given to you as a gift?

Does thinking about the opportunity to live one more day as though it were owed to you affect how you live the day? Does thinking about the opportunity to have one more day given as a gift affect how you live the day?

If you believe the day is owed to you, you’re likely to live the day being angry and resentful that things didn’t go quite your way. You’re likely to treat the gifts given to you as a spoiled child treats the gifts given to him or her. And if you believe the day was owed to you, you’ll get especially upset if anything happens to put the next day in jeopardy (that is, the next day you think is owed to you).

If you believe the day is a gift, you’re likely to take all things that happen during the day as a gift, too. A flower is a gift. The air you breathe is a gift.

Even a mistake is a gift. And if you treat it as a gift, you can learn from it and move beyond it.