You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Drinking coffee this morning, sharing a table with a local farmer recovering from a nasty bout of pleurisy, Manolis spoke of his joy that the sun was shining, the sky blue, and the coffee tasted heavenly. Manolis had been confined to a hospital bed for some two weeks, leaving his wife, and two sons to carry the daily work load. At 67 years of age Manolis was happy, and grateful for his recovery praising the work of his physician, and the nurses who fussed over him, leading him to understand that life has to be lived and enjoyed one day at a time.
This moment is all we have.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
~Robert Herrick
During my "apprenticeship years" I spent some six months in Milan, Italy taking the opportunity to visit several times the church of Santa Maria delle Grazia, where Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" resides:
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiesa_di_Santa_Maria_delle_Grazie_(Milano)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper_(Leonardo_da_Vinci)#/media/File:%C3%9Altima_Cena_-_Da_Vinci_5.jpg
Facing Da Vinci's famous painting is The Apostle John, then about 15 years of age, to the immediate right of Jesus, reminding us that full bloom of youth matures rather like a good quality wine with wrinkles and pimples to evidence our journey into tomorrow. John lived into grand old age, exiled to the Greek island of Patmos, where he died in his mid nineties. Tradition also teaches us that John authored The Apocalypse (Revelation) over several years, penned by one of his apprentices.
Per Revelation, John The Mystic, tastes heavenly joy during his journeys into tomorrow, beyond the restraints of the physical self, where he understood that life in the flesh, and in the spirit are one and the same revelation of the creator's life, alive in every human person.
The ageing process should enable us to reveal the benefits that attach to our growing awareness that nothing that we bring into this life can last beyond today's reality, while appreciating the company of the many people we meet on our life's journey of self discovery.
Our Saviour invites us to enjoy the company of all who He sends our way, to encourage us to understand that out of today's miseries there is a sun about to rise, tomorrow morning heralding a better day filled with opportunities to celebrate a life worth dying for.
Divine Wisdom* asks us to accept Our Father's invitation to let Him be our guide into our future, beginning today, that we may celebrate all that life has on offer for those who choose to follow the call of The Saviour.
* http://www.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/8
Hear the words of prudence, give heed unto her counsels, and store them in thine heart; her maxims are universal, and all the virtues lean upon her; she is the guide and the mistress of human life. ~Akhenaton
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