By Dennis Merrit Jones, DD
USE IT – OR LOSE IT!
Using What We Have Before the Expiration Date Is the Mark of a Wise Person
What gift has been laid at your feet today? Perhaps now would be a great time to stop, look down, and appreciate it, because it may not be there forever.” ~ The Art of Being
Have you ever noticed that life’s greatest lessons often sneak up behind us, waving from the rearview mirror like a cheeky hitchhiker? The good news is, if we keep our eyes open and our minds awake, we might just catch those lessons before we zoom past them. As an example, this morning I was eagerly anticipating my one and only, sacred, daily cup of coffee. That is, until I added some half and half, which curdled on impact, transforming my cup of joy into a “cottage cheese” science experiment. A quick glance at the carton revealed the grim truth: my cream had joined the expired goods club a few days back. Cue the facepalm and the age-old wisdom of hindsight being 20/20. There’s a lesson here for us all, nestled like a prize in a cereal box, if only we’re willing
to dig for it.
“Life is ever giving of Itself. We must receive, utilize, and extend the gift.”
~ Ernest Holmes
In my quest to find a silver lining in every cloud – or curdled coffee – I had an epiphany: everything that exists has an expiration date – everything. Sure, we don’t have labels or scan bars on our foreheads (thank goodness), but whether it’s our bodies, relationships, jobs, or that ancient jar of pickles in the fridge, nothing lasts forever. Even our planet is on a timer. Dr. Holmes knew this when he urged us to utilize our gifts before they turn into pumpkins. Notice he didn’t say “Hoard the gifts that flow into
our lives because there is no more in
the pipeline
The operative word in his quote is “utilize.” Utilization of what we have opens the portal and primes the pump for more of the same – whether through ignorance, negligence, there is no need to mindlessly cling to – or fearfully hoard – anything.
Realizing that today will turn into yesterday at the stroke of midnight, I share this nugget of wisdom not to bring you down, but to give you a friendly nudge. If everything, including you and me, has an expiration date, how can we savor the blessings and gifts of today before they slip through our fingers? Suddenly, “wake up and smell the coffee” feels like a rallying cry, don’t you think?
Try this affirmation on for size: “This day is a precious gift set before me to use wisely. Because it expires at midnight, I enter it with mindfulness and gratitude, knowing I shall never see it again.”
So, let’s embrace each day like it’s the last cookie in the jar – before someone else grabs it!
Peace, Dennis Merritt Jones, DD
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Dennis Merritt Jones’ vision is “Guiding People to Purpose.” He is an award-winning author of seven books, a keynote speaker, and personal mentor/coach who loves living in St. Petersburg. If you would like more information regarding his availability as a speaker, his mentoring programs, and his books, please visit his website at DennisMerrittJones.com.