Dawn of a New Day Jan 2009
Living for Right Here, Right Now
By Dawn New-Echlin
I have always lived for the future. As a kid, I couldn’t wait to grow up, double digits meant I could get my ears pierced, 16 meant my drivers license, 18 meant my right to vote, and 21 well you know what that meant. There is been a distinct pattern in my life, to reflect on decisions (good or bad) to make better decisions going forward. I always thought that I was oh so smart, learning from mistakes and correcting behaviors. This last month I read a piece of scripture called “A Time for Everything” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-9) I’d like to share it with all of you:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
• A time to be born and a time to die
• A time to plant and a time to uproot
• A time to kill and a time to heal
• A time to weep and time to laugh
• A time to mourn and a time to dance
• A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them
• A time to embrace and a time to refrain
• A time to search and a time to give up
• A time to keep and a time to throw away
• A time to tear and a time to mend
• A time to be silent and a time to speak
• A time to love and a time to hate
• A time for war and a time for peace
You may be singing in your head (turn, turn, turn…) and if you aren’t it may be because you’re too young. But this passage really spoke to me this month. It is all true. There is a time for everything in life, all emotions, reactions, situations, accidents, and surprises. You must choose to embrace your “present” for those moments when you may not really understand why. In this New Year we have many opportunities for healing our hearts, our hopes, and our relationships. I hope that you will recognize that whatever good or bad thing you are going through in a moment that it only lasts for that moment. Keeping your thoughts behind you or in front of you will not let you enjoy what’s really going on around you. So, when your child yells for the third time…”Mommy, look at my drawing (and it’s the 10th one in a row) take a little breath and realize that you only have that moment to do that exact thing with your child and once that moment has passed, its gone. I’m going to try and be much “present” in my now this year. So if you see me, stop me, say hello, and let me look into your face and smile. I want to acknowledge you and the moment that we are sharing and let you know I appreciate your words.
Dawn New-Echlin can be contacted at DawnDNew@yahoo.com
