LifeThought: Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered

Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered. — Dr. Seuss

Have you had the 15 minutes of fame that Andy Warhol promised you? What if it happened today?

Unfortunately for most people who make the headlines for their 15 minutes of fame, it usually isn’t fame; rather, it is infamy, because they were behaving badly. If today is the day that lands you on the evening news, is it a day that you will be proud of tomorrow?

Just as engineers have figured out how to harness the power of a raging river to produce energy and control its flow for the benefit of people, we must learn how to control our behavior for the benefit of ourselves and those around us.

There are, indeed, many things we cannot control in our lives. We cannot control the weather or natural events; we cannot control many diseases; and we absolutely cannot control other people. However, you can control how you behave in every situation and circumstance. How you behave is a choice that you, alone, are responsible for making.

Controlling your behavior is something you must do intentionally. Again, it is the intentional part that is foreign to so many. Remember that wisdom is the ability to look into the future and see the consequences of today’s actions. Wisdom requires that you not react immediately to a situation, but take the time to respond appropriately and thoughtfully. How you behave is a reflection of how well you are practicing wisdom.

When you wake up every morning, you get to make a choice about how you will behave today. You may feel sick, you may have bills that you cannot pay, you may have many things in your life that are not working out the way you want them to. Nevertheless, you can choose to behave in a way that discourages victim thinking, seeks solutions to problems, encourages others, looks for goodness in unlikely places, displays confidence in the future and a general love for life.

How would you behave if you knew you were being followed by a camera that was recording all of your interactions with the people around you today? Would you be on your best behavior and try to be the best person you can possibly be, knowing that your day would be replayed for the whole world to see? Guess what? All of us who are around you are watching you every day, not just today. We all want you to be the best person you can possibly be, and we all want you to behave as if this is the day for which you will be remembered!


This is one of my daily “LifeThoughts” posts. If you enjoyed this, or any of my other posts, I’d be honored if you’d share it with your friends and followers!

Do you agree or disagree with what I’ve written? I’d love to hear your comments!

3 thoughts on “LifeThought: Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered

  1. Nickey

    Agree with you that we are often in a position where we can choose our behavior and not necessarily specific circumstances. You made me consider wisdom and whether I live and react with dignity.

    Much appreciated, as always.

    1. Bruce Post author

      Nickey, I appreciate you taking the time to read my posts. There are so many things that distract us from day to day. I’m glad you are taking the time to think things through.

      Best wishes,
      Bruce

  2. Kirsty

    Are you familiar with ‘fish philosophy’? Choose your attitude? You can’t always change your circumstances but you can choose to change your attitude to it. Essentially, we’re all about choices.
    Thanks for you thought provoking posts.

Comments are closed.