This is as good as it gets

This is it. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Depressing words or liberating words?

Depends on what you mean by “this.”

And “this” is whatever you choose to believe it is.

Here’s one thing you know is true: Someone would like to sell you something better than “this.” Someone will spend a lot of money to persuade you that you just can’t live “this” way.

I have a head cold and I slept awful last night.

I’m not going to get better in the next five minutes. In fact, my body is likely to feel worse as the day goes on.

Someone wants me to buy their cold and flu medicine. Someone wants me to buy their energy drink. So someone will communicate with me relentlessly every day (even when I’m well and well-rested) to persuade me that if I’m sick and tired, I just can’t live this way. Someone will position themselves so that when I feel discomfort, my first impulse will be to complain. My second impulse will be to reach for my wallet.

Those of us who are Westerners are programmed from birth to need more, to want more. We are programmed to be restless and uncomfortable and unhappy with the here and now. With “this.”

What is the solution to “this?” It almost always comes with a price.

Do you ever wonder why? Think about that.

I have a cold and I’m awfully tired today. This is the way my body is going to be today and there is nothing I can do about it. Medication only treats the symptoms for a little while.

But I’ll tell you something: I’m drinking a hot Thermos full of coffee. I’m looking out a big picture window at the sun shining on some green woods. I’m writing this (my favorite personal activity each day). My car’s odometer will turn 200,000 miles today (all those memories of all the places that car took us!). I got to drop off my birthday boy at preschool will 24 cupcakes to share with his classmates.

I’m alive. I’m upright. I can breathe, digest, think, walk. I’ll get to eat whenever I’m hungry today. I have important work to do. I’ll get to interact with interesting people.

I don’t know about tomorrow. Tomorrow doesn’t exist.

What I have is now. What I have is “this.”

And this is good enough, thank God!

Grace and Peace.