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Saturday, April 28, 2012

Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life



I made a placard for my eight-year-old son that says this old and very useful phrase and I gave it to him and explained it to him at breakfast one day. It sits by the window where he can see it when he walks into the dining room. It says, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."




When I gave it to him, the purpose was to help him (and me) appreciate the value of making the little effort everyday to do the best - even in mundane tasks. After all, isn't there a saying that goes something like, "From a speck of dust a mountain is born"? 


I want my son to be a person who always does his best in everything... I want him to make the effort to succeed... 


I seriously want him to be the person I always wanted to be.


I am about to turn 55-years-old. I think that's an odd situation. Fifteen years ago, I had just turned 40. Isn't life supposed to begin at 40? Or so I had heard. Fifteen years ago I was 40. In fifteen years from now I will be 70.


Where have the days and time gone? Why did I waste so much of it?


Time, my friends, is truly your only nonrenewable resource. 


Today truly is the first day of the rest of your life. Don't waste even a second of it.



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2 comments:

  1. Andrew JosephApril 28, 2012 at 9:27 AM

    A very nice sentiment. Truly words to live by.
    My damn pride keeps getting in the way, however...

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 28, 2012 at 11:19 AM

    40 is the new 20.

    And fifty bucks is the new twenty Dollar bill.

    Poof, it's All just dust in the wind, eh?

    Your blog title reminded me of the old man in a Tom Cruise film, as I recall, he explained how he jumps out of bed and claps his hands while saying something along the same lines,
    "Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life"
    Very admiral.

    Also, ya know, sometimes it's a good idea Not to be a person who always does his best in everything. Being able to spot those times is a valuable skill.
    ... Not that your advise is bad or anything in a Big Picture sort of way.
    Jmho.

    - clark

    ReplyDelete

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