Have you ever heard the old adage, ‘you never know how much you miss something until it’s gone?’
I don’t think there’s ever been a more true statement echoed by man than that.
I have never in my life missed something that I had. Just like, as one person pointed out this week, I’ve never learned anything from someone who agreed with me.
The key to not missing something is to have it – plain and simple. But to have it, we must also do everything in our power to keep it once we gain it.
I have a car, but in order for me to keep that car, I have to take care of it. I have to be nice to it, look after it, give it some attention – all the fun things that some people at car dealerships wrap up in a nice maintenance package and try to tack on to your financing payment.
If I didn’t look after my car, it wouldn’t take long until I’d be the guy who didn’t have the car. If I didn’t have a car, I’d have to walk wherever I went; which some might say isn’t a terrible thing since Lord knows I could drop a couple dozen or couple hundred pounds, depending on what way I’m facing the mirror.
However, if I had to walk somewhere, then I’d probably, eventually, get tired, drained, and worn out, depending on how far I had to go.
Point is, it wouldn’t take long for me to miss my car.
It’s probably at that moment the regret will start to set in. The thoughts of how many times I could have taken her to the garage, but didn’t. The times I heard the knocking in her front end, and ignored it. The time I thought she was suitable for off-roading and put her through the ringer out in the mud, gravel and dirt. (That didn’t actually happen – I’m just being facetious)
Then the thought that now it’s too late to change all that becomes a reality, and I have to learn to accept my circumstances. It’s a harsh part of life, but a part none-the-less. We can’t go back.
No matter how hard you shout, scream, yell, cry, fight, baul, blare, or sulk, you can’t go back. Which means if you don’t want regrets tomorrow, then you have to deal with them today.
See, cars are a lot like people. If you don’t take care of them, one day you’re going to realize they aren’t there, and you’re going to wish they were. Then you’re going to be forced to walk – alone – and wish you’d taken the time before to give a bit more attention and care, so that you wouldn’t be in the mess that you’re in now.
Harsh? Sure. Truth? You bet.
Smarten up and realize you don’t have yesterday. You don’t have last week, you don’t have last month, and you don’t have 10 years ago. What happened then happened, and nothing you can do, say, think, or cry about is going to change that.
You don’t have it. It isn’t your’s anymore. You had it, and shagged it up, so it was taken from you, just like my car would be if I don’t take care of it.
No, instead, what you have … is today. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less – you have today, the only day you can make sure that tomorrow you’re not going to be looking back and wishing you could do it again.
Don’t make today the day you wish you could do over again tomorrow. Make today the day you’ll look back on tomorrow, and want to build on, to make every day that much better.
Forget yesterday, and everything that happened there. That was yesterday. It isn’t your’s anymore, so why are wasting time on it?
Instead, focus on today and use it to take care of yourself, and each other. Then, and only then, will tomorrow be a happy day.
Because today … you did good.
Rudy Norman
