Living One Day at a Time: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

This short prose is a nice reminder to live one day at a time:

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry. Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed. We cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow. With its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control. Tomorrow's sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is as yet unborn.

This just leaves only one day . . . Today. Any person can face the challenges of just one day. It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternity's - yesterday and tomorrow - that we break down. It is not the experience of today that drives people mad. It is the remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore live but one day at a time.

~ Author Unknown ~

This meaningful piece of prose is often read at many meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. This is a good addiction recovery reminder to stay present, in the moment...summed up in the recovery slogan as "One day at a time!"

Published in several addiction recovery publications including:

• The AA Grapevine, Inc. (July 1945 vol. 2 no. 2)
• Twenty-Four Hours a Day © 1975 by Hazelden Foundation