The beauty of today

I typed out an entire post, but then my computer ate it, so I've decided to go a completely different route with my post tonight. My medical symptoms have worsened, and with the increasing severity of my symptoms has come a new-found awareness of my vulnerability, of the fact that there is no guarantee of tomorrow. And along with that has come an appreciation of the things that I oftentimes take for granted, because when you don't know if there will be a tomorrow, you realize all that today holds. (*disclaimer: As far as I know, I am not terminally ill and do not expect to die in the near future. It's just that my body is doing some pretty scary things, which make me realize that health and a long life are no guarantee.)

 So right now, I am thankful for all of the things that today holds. I am thankful for the smell of roses on a warm spring day, and for the sound of that perfect song at just the right time. I love the feel of a friend's arms holding me in a hug that tells me just how special I am to them. I cherish the smell of the rain on dirt after a long dry spell, and the sound of the birds chirping in the trees. And that feeling you get when you take a bite of a perfect piece of cake and you savor every millisecond of it because it was just that good. I love that too :-). And I love the sound of my daughter giggling while she plays with her daddy and my son's non-stop discourse when he describes his latest idea for a new invention. I love the smell of coffee after a long, hard day and the feeling of sinking into a freshly made bed and smelling the clean sheets. I love that feeling when you've laughed so hard that tears are streaming down your face and your sides hurt so bad, but you just can't stop because the joy just has to come out. Oh, and I love meeting someone my soul connects with. You know, someone you talk to for hours and then realize that you have to leave, but you really don't want to because there is still so much you want to know.

So tonight I share with you just a few of these things that I love in today because tomorrow is no guarantee. And when that day comes when there are no more todays, I will cherish the presence of my Lord, which will beat all of the beauty of all of my todays by a mile. But for now, the beauty of today is all I know, and I cherish it.