Don’t Wait Until Tomorrow

6th December 2018

Thich Nhat Hanh on making the most of our days and the art of living.

Lately I’ve been speaking to many creative types and asking the question: what are we here to create? The end of the year approaches and it’s a time of reflection for many of us. For me, the first anniversary of a dear friend’s death is around the corner followed swiftly by a big birthday.

I am looking back and trying not to wince or succumb to nostalgia. I am looking forward and trying not to be afraid by the unknown. I am trying to be here now with the wisdom and lessons, beauty and love I have gained from these years on earth. I hope to open up to the next years without missing the miracle of being alive this very second and living in London – my beloved hometown.

There are turtles that live to be three or four hundred years old, and redwood trees that live more than a thousand. Our own life span is only about a hundred years at most. How are we living those years? Are we making the most of our days? What are we here to realize or to accomplish?

Later, we may look back and wonder, “What have I done with my life?” Time goes by so quickly. Death comes unexpectedly. How can we bargain with it? To wait until tomorrow is too late.

We all want to live deeply so our lives are not wasted and when death comes we won’t have any regrets.

When we are fully established in the present moment, we know that we are alive, and that it’s a miracle to be alive. The past has gone, and the future has not yet come. This is the only moment where we can be alive, and we have it!

– Thich Nhat Hanh, The Art of Living

Reflections

• Do you feel you’re making the most of your days?
• What are you here to realize or accomplish? What are you here to create and share?
• When did you last feel truly in the moment?
• What is your attitude towards mindfulness?

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