One Day at a Time
More like “Tale as Old as Time.”
Not long ago, guaranteed survival was a mythical dream. Like the visions of heaven we seek or miracles of the holy texts. Just living was and is a full-time job.
Whether coming down from the trees or being tossed from paradise, few things are more true: nothing is guaranteed, and we can’t survive alone.
We need someone to be a lookout when you can’t. Someone to procreate with. To help when things are hard and feel joy at unexpected times.
Now together, with our basic needs to survive, we ask, “Will I wake to see another sunrise?”
Somehow, somewhere, along the way, the worry for tomorrow became mundane. Instead of thinking about the now for tomorrow, we get lost in the clouds of endless desires, losing sight of what really matters.
So what is it we need most?
Basic biology tells me all I need is:
- Food
- Water
- Air
And that’s it? Yep! Well, sorta. Not really.
Just those three simple things (that are in abundance) around us will get you through the night to see another day. But who wants to be alone?
Even in the Bible, you see it. Adam had it all, in the most literal sense of the word. And after naming all the animals, what is the first thing Adam and God realize? Oh, Adam needs an equal.
I love that word: equal. In some texts, the word used when talking about Adam wanting/needing a partner, ezer, implied “one of equal strength.”
So just after creation, those first three things were all there, and in the Book of Jubilees we even see that Adam was naming animals for days. But God said, “Wait, man needs more than just food, water, and air.”
You see, they (God) had each other (what some call the Trinity). The Bible says we are made in their image. We are not equal with God, just as children are not equal to their parents. So what does an equal give us? Really give us that we couldn’t give ourselves? God knew that joy (one of the greatest things in the universe) cannot be experienced alone. Joy requires an equal.
Sure, you can experience happiness alone, and even with God. But joy can only be experienced with an equal. Fortunately, “equal” can also take on many forms. But there is one universal equal plane we all share: life. Living.
If we can approach each day as an entire life of its own, we can begin to appreciate the things around us and recognize that we are all just trying to survive to see another sunrise.
Change the perspective. Say you only had today to live. Do you really want to spend it being negative? I don’t think I’ve ever known of anyone who wants to die angry and/or alone.
And if you argue suicide is “alone,” I will say suicide is a performance. A plea in their final moments, inviting others to be a part of their death and life, if only for a moment.
OK. So now we have:
- Air
- Water
- Food
- Some company
Is that it? Some may say yes, but I would say that even the most devout atheist (oxymoron, I know) is in awe and wonder of the earth, life, and the universe.
That longing for understanding, while technically not needed for life, is another common ground. Whether explanation is sought and found through science, spiritual experience, or a combination of both, that awe and desire for understanding could hold the world together if we would stop arguing over the explanation.
We can all agree the world is amazing, and quite literally truly unknowable. Sure, science may “explain” some things, but those explanations are just more descriptions of the universe. We can observe and measure the characteristics of the universe, but we will never know why light needs to shine.
The tale as old as time has always been: one day at a time. Live today as an entire life; stay in awe, be curious, accept your delusions, and just enjoy the day.