Hitachinaka. Today is the annual Katsuta Marathon. Running is a way of life in this area, so a variety of races are easy to join throughout the year.

I was hopeful to participate in this year’s marathon. However, I find myself sitting at one my local Starbucks, spending time with friends and working on a rather fast-growing crochet project. To be honest, it feels good to be inside, warm and dry. It’s bleak weather outside.

To be honest, I am disappointed that I wasn’t able to run this year. Of course, there is a reason. There always is when we don’t achieve our set goals.

Sometimes, the reason is in our control: something we didn’t do or did do. Sometimes, it’s out of our control: something we couldn’t do.

In the end, the result is the same, a goal left unaccomplished or partially so.

It’s easy to get bogged down in what we haven’t done, couldn’t do, or should have done. However, what’s the point of doing that? What’s the benefit of getting caught up in the lost yesterdays?

Today is what we have. And whatever we choose and are able to do today is what will inform our tomorrow, and thus our future selves.

We get hung up on promises we make to others and, especially, to ourselves. We feel defeated when we cannot or have not fulfilled those promises or met some conscious or unconscious expectations by some specified deadline (whether internally or externally defined).

Again, what’s the point? Why wrap ourselves up in the worry of who or how we cannot yet be or what we cannot yet do?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that we don’t need to be mindful and make efforts to accomplishing our goals, fulfilling our promises, or meeting expectations.

I am saying that whatever happened, whatever we have or haven’t done, whoever we couldn’t be is yesterday’s news.

Focus on today. Let today be your guide for what you do and who you will be tomorrow. Because, in the end of it all, all that each one of us has is…

today, this moment, this hour, this minute, this second.

We aren’t guaranteed time. However, if we are still existing, then we can always do our best to do and be the best that we can in each moment. The last moment is gone. Now is what you have.

Let that knowledge guide you toward your bliss.

Thanks for reading. And thanks to M. Beddingfield for allowing me to use the above photos.

D