Living in the Now

In 1913 Dr. William Osler was invited to speak to students at Yale University. His address suggested that people could, with practice, develop "Day-tight compartments" to manage worry. He couched his thoughts in the metaphor of an ocean liner's bulkheads -- those great metal doors that close to keep out water if the boat's integrity is compromised "to ensure safety on the voyage" -- meaning life.

And I quote, "Get on the bridge and see that at least the great bulkheads are in working order. Touch a button and hear, at every level of your life, the iron doors shutting out the Past--the dead yesterdays. Touch another and shut off, with a metal curtain, the Future--the unborn tomorrows. Then you are safe -- safe for to-day!"

He suggested further in his speech that a successful future would emerge naturally from work well done in the day.

I read this same message in Michael Yapko's book "Depression is Contagious" when he offered ways to discriminate between useless analysis (worry with no answers) and useful analysis (concerns that once analysed led to a clear and direct course of action).

For years, I believed that introspection was a gift and felt it contributed to my reputation as being a "deep thinker". I was absolutely wrong. Worry contributes to nothing other than spinning around and around. So, give yourself a break and consider shutting those water-tight compartments and live fully today.