Two days before our meeting, I was shopping at Pier One for an ornament for an ornament exchange. (By the way…very dangerous to shop at Pier One during the holidays…so many BEAUTIFUL, sparkly things….and I LOVE sparkly things!) Anyways, as I was looking for an ornament to give away, and I came across an ornament that spoke very loudly to me. It was THIS one:
It caught my eye because it was sparkly, pink and very symbolic of my cancer journey this past year. It reminded me of the quote that I keep referencing about life being a “gift”. I have been blessed with the very special GIFT of being cancer-free this Christmas. I don’t EVER want to forget that. Okay…I HAVE to have this ornament! So, into my shopping basket it went and here it sits on my kitchen table as a simple reminder of one of the many things I am thankful for.
Wait a minute….this sparkly, pink gift reminds me of a very beautiful message I heard back in college. It was a book called the “The Precious Present”, by Spencer Johnson. My dear friend Kari gave me this book as a birthday present after we enjoyed hearing one of our favorite campus pastors read it out loud to us earlier that year.
This book contains the PERFECT message! Inspirational? Yes! Pertinent to us moms? Check! Moving and thought-provoking? Absolutely!
I chose to read a portion of the book to my mom’s group at church. The beginning of the story was an easy read for me, but toward the end of the excerpt I chose, I had to fight back tears as I tried to steady my voice. Oh boy…I didn’t want to cry in front of all of these people! *deep breath* (The “old Renee” would have been embarrassed to get emotional in front of a group. The “NEW Renee” knew deep down inside it was OK! It was OK because everyone in that room knew about the hardships of my journey, in fact many of them were a part of the HUGE support system that carried me through it. There was no judgement in the room that day….only warmth and love!)
It is such a beautiful message, that I would like to share a portion of it with you here…I hope you will take a few moments to read through it…I think you will enjoy it!
The Precious Present, by Spencer Johnson
Once there was a boy, who listened to an old man. And, thus, began to learn about The Precious Present.
“It is a present because it is a gift,” the contented man explained. "And it is called The Precious Present, because it is the best present of all."
When the boy asked why, the old man explained.
“It is the best present a person can receive because anyone who receives such a gift is happy forever.”
“Wow!” the little boy exclaimed. “I hope someone gives me The Precious Present. Maybe I’ll get it for Christmas.”
The boy ran off to play. And the old man smiled.
He liked to watch the little boy play. He saw the smile on the youngster’s face and heard him laughing as he swung from a nearby tree. The boy was happy. And it was a joy to see.
The old man also liked to watch the boy work. He even rose early on Saturday mornings to watch the little laborer across the street mow the lawn. The boy actually whistled while he worked. The little child was happy no matter what he was doing. It was, indeed, a joy to behold.
When he thought about what the old man had said, the boy thought he understood. He knew about presents…
Like the bicycle he got for his birthday and the gifts he found under the tree on Christmas morning. But as the boy thought more about it, he knew. The joy of toys never lasts forever.
The boy began to feel uneasy. “What then,” he wondered, “is The Precious Present?
“What could be so good… so much better than any other present…that it is called The Precious Present?”
“What could possibly make me happy forever?”
He found it difficult to even imagine the answer. And so he returned to ask the old man.
“Is The Precious Present a magical ring? One that I might put on my finger and make all my wishes come true?”
“No,” he was told.
The Precious Present
Has Nothing TO Do With Wishing.
As the boy grew older he continued to wonder. He went to the old man.
“Is The Precious Present a flying carpet?” he inquired. “One that I could get on and go any place that I liked?”
“No,” the man quietly replied.
When You Have The Precious Present
You Are Perfectly Content To Be Where You Are.
Now that the boy was becoming a young man, he felt a bit foolish for asking. But he was uncomfortable. He began to see that he was not achieving what he wanted. “Is The Precious Present, “he slowly ventured, “a sunken treasure? Perhaps rare gold coins buried by pirates long ago?”
“No, young man,” the old man told him. “It is not.”
The Richness Is Rare Indeed, But…
The Wealth Of The Precious Present Comes Only From Itself.
The young man thought for a moment. Then he became annoyed.
“You told me,” the young man said, “that anyone who receives such a present would be happy forever. I never got such a gift as a child.”
“I’m afraid you don’t understand,” the old man responded.
You Already Know What The Precious Present Is.
You Already Know Where To Find It.
And You Already Know How It Can Make You Happy.
You Knew It Best When You Were A Small Child.
You Have Simply Forgotten.
The young man went away to think. But as time passed, he became frustrated, and, finally, angry. He eventually confronted the old man.
“If you want me to be happy, “the young man shouted, “why don’t you just tell me what the The Precious Present is?”
“And where to find it?” the old man volleyed.
“Yes, exactly,” the young man demanded.
“I would like to,” the old man began. “But I do not have such power. No one does. Only you have the power to make yourself happy,” the old man said. “Only you.”
The Precious Present Is Not Something That Someone Gives To You.
It Is A Gift That You Give Yourself.
The young man was confused, but determined. He resolved to find The Precious Present himself.
And so…He packed his bags. He left where he was. And went elsewhere to look for The Precious Present.
After many frustrating years, the man grew tired of looking for the The Precious Present.
He had read all the latest books. And he had looked in The Wall Street Journal. He had looked in the mirror. And into the faces of other people.
He had wanted so much to find The Precious Present. He had gone to extraordinary lengths. He had looked for it at the tops of mountains and in cold dark caves. He had searched for it in dense, humid jungles. And underneath the seas.
But it was all to no avail. His stressful search had exhausted him. Occasionally, he even became ill. But he did not know why.
The man returned wearily to the old man’s side. The old man was happy to see him. They often smiled and occasionally laughed out loud together. The young man liked to be with the old man. He felt happy in his presence. He guessed that this was because the old man felt happy with himself.
It wasn’t that the old man’s life was so trouble-free. He didn’t appear to have a lot of money. He seemed to be alone most of the time. In fact, there was no apparent reason why he was so much happier and healthier than most people.
But happy he was. And so were those who spent time with him. “Why does it feel so good to be with him?” the young man wondered. “Why?” He left wondering.
After many years, the once-young man returned to inquire further. He was now very unhappy and often ill. He needed to talk with the old man.
But the old man had grown very, very old. And, all too soon, he spoke no more. The wise voice could no longer be heard.
The man was alone.
At first, he was saddened by the loss of his old friend. And then he became frightened. Very frightened. He was afraid that he would never learn how to be happy. Until…
He finally accepted what had always been true. He was the only one who could find his own happiness. The unhappy man recalled what the happy old man had told him so many years ago. But as hard as he tried he could not figure it out…He tried to understand what he had heard.
The Precious Present Has Nothing To Do With Wishing…
When You Have The Precious Present You Will Be Perfectly Content To Be Where You Are…
The Richness Of The Precious Present Comes From Its Own Source…
The Precious Present Is Not Something That Someone Gives To You…
It Is Something You Give To Yourself…
The unhappy man was now tired of looking for The Precious Present. He had grown so tired of trying that he simply stopped trying.
And then, it happened! He didn’t know why it happened when it happened. It just…happened!
He realized that The Precious Present was just that:
The Present.
Not the past; and not the future, but The Precious Present.
He realized that the present moment is always precious. Not because it is absolutely flawless, which it often seems not to be. But because it is absolutely everything it is meant to be…at that moment.
In an instant the man was happy. He realized that he was in The Precious Present. He raised both hands triumphantly into the cool, fresh air. He was joyous…For one moment…
Then, just as quickly as he had discovered it, he let the joy of The Precious Present evaporate. He slowly lowered his hands, touched his forehead, and frowned. The man was unhappy---once again.
“Why,” he asked himself, “didn’t I see the obvious long ago? Why have I missed so many precious moments? Why has it taken me so long to live in the present?” As the man remembered his fruitless travels around the world in his search for The Precious Present he knew how much happiness he had lost.
In the past, he had sensed what he thought was imperfect in too many moments. He had not experienced what each special time and place had to offer. He had missed a great deal. And he felt sad. The man continued to berate himself. And then he saw what he was doing. He observed that he was trapped by his guilt about the past.
When he became aware of his unhappiness and of his being in the past, he returned to the present moment. And he was happy.
But then the man began to worry about the future. “Will I,” he asked, “be able to know the joy of living in The Precious Present tomorrow?” Then he saw he was living in the future and laughed---at himself.
He listened to what he now knew. And he heard the wisdom of his own voice.
It Is Wise For Me To Think About The Past And To Learn From My Past.
But It Is Not Wise For Me To Be In The Past.
For That Is How I Lose My Self.
It Is Also Wise To Think About The Future And To Prepare For My Future.
But It Is Not Wise For Me To Be In The Future.
For That, Too, Is How I Lose My Self.
And When I Lose My Self
I Lose What Is Most Precious To Me…
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Although the story does not end here, I felt like this excerpt really conveyed the message I wanted to share with you this holiday season. J Thanks for taking the time to read along….
As my friend Kari inscribed on the inside cover of my book…”May you never let go of the PRECIOUS PRESENT.”
Love to all…
Nae
