Focus on the Present

Q: If a rooster laid an egg on the very top of a roof, which way would it roll down?
A: Neither way. Roosters don't lay eggs.

Why did I bother to tell that goofy joke? Because if you were focused, you would have caught it right away. Many of you did, I'm sure. But if you're one of the ones that said, I'm not sure; then went "Ouch! I didn't catch that!". It means that you were going fast, and focusing on what is coming next, instead of what is in front of you. It is a simple trick to see if people actually are understanding quickly what they are looking at, or are they jumping ahead. This doesn't seem like much of a big deal, does it?  Think about it in other terms.  If you are in a war zone, and not focusing completely on what is around you right now, you might not have a very good outcome. You may not see that mine right in front of you, or that trip wire right at your feet. You can't look too far ahead, and guessing is not a good idea. Some people teach that you should look to the future. And you should, if it's concerning your finances, or your family, or such things.  But I'm talking about being present in the "here and now". Some of you get me, I know.
Many of you worry about the future. Rightly so.  But you're just assuming you will be there. The real truth is something you already know. You may not be here tomorrow, much less in the future. I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just stating a fact that you may not want to face.  I don't want to think about it either.
Learning how to focus on the present, and it is actually not that easy to do, will help you enjoy the moment you're in. Live for today! Enjoy your family now! Don't get in the bad habit of "putting off" everything til tomorrow. It's a habit that may leave others "holding the bag", if you're not there any more. The one thing that upsets me the most is  people who "want" to do things they've never done, like go to a Spurs game (I have!), attend a live Rangers game (I have!), or go on a great vacation (again, I have!).  Their main reason is money.  Well, of course it is!  It's everybody's main reason. In the end, most people don't want to spend the money. So the outcome is usually the same.  They go nowhere they say they want to go, do nothing they say they want to do, and makes excuses for it all.  I know it's not easy, but if you have goals, then you have to do everything you can to reach those goals. When your kids grow up, will they remember that their parents didn't take them anywhere because they "saved" the money (which almost always gets spent anyway!), or will they remember that great vacation the whole family took to Hawaii! Which one would you remember as a highlight of your life! If you are one of those who live in the "here and now", I'm proud of you!  Stick to it! You'll have a full life!
Many people argue the fact of who would have a better life. Would you think personally that a skier who has been all over the world trying out his skills. revelling in the thrill and the moment, high on life, but died in an accident in his 30's, had a better life? Or, would you say it would be the one that lived to 75 years old, but never did anything in his life that he could remember worth doing, never went anywhere, or saw anything, sat in his rocking chair, and complained about everything? Which one would you choose? No one wants to die in their 30's, but no one wants to lead a boring, meaningless life either! So, it's a matter of personal perspective. I know people who would choose the skier, but I also know people who would choose to grow older, too. Some people have already been able to do both, or will soon, and I envy them and am happy for them.