In certain early American Indian tribes, when a princes came of age she was given a basket and instructed to pick the best ears of corn in a given row. There was one condition she must abide by: she must choose the ears as she went along. She couldn’t turn back, retrace her steps, and select ears she had passed by. Many a princess failed this test of judgment. She marveled as the high quality of the corn, and as she felt of the firm ears on the stalks she was tempted to pick them. But perhaps there were better ears on the stalks just ahead. She would wait and see. Then suddenly, to her surprise and bitter disappointment, she found herself at the end of the corn row, and her basket was empty. While looking for perfection, she missed gathering any ears at all.
Life is so much like this. We move through our days constantly looking for the golden opportunity, the next big break, the perfect situation. I guess one of life’s most deceptive illusions is that the present moment is unimportant, the present opportunities aren’t all that imperative.
Sorry to sound so melancholy today, but today’s energy is all we can count on; it is here. Yesterday is depleted, and there is no guarantee of tomorrow. What you say, let’s make this day count!
