Today is a gift, that’s why they call it the present
I was watching “Kung Fu Panda” yesterday and for those who’ve read a bit about the tao this movie is full of nice little references to it. One of the nicest quotes from the movie is from the old wise turtle/kung fu master.
Yesterday is a memory.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift.
That’s why they call it the present.
That’s the Tao for you, it’s so overly obvious we all seem to forget it.
For most of us the present is filled with promises, ideas and beliefs about the future and pain, uncertainty and doubt the past has planted in our minds. But what if you could unpack your present and find only today in it? Without the limitations brought on by the past and the illusions from the future.
This way of thinking severely blocks the “Western” mind that’s evolved around achieving things, always seeking the next best thing and never being happy with what is going on right now… hardly even noticing what’s here right now. Receiving gifts is a skill we’ve all but forgotten.
Okay, a bit of a sidetrack here but bear with me, there’s a message here.
In the western world we tend to judge a gift by it’s value (in dollars) and by the prestige it will give us “Look at me with my new iPod.. it’s expensive as hell..” Kids who grow up in this enviroment quickly learn this way of unpacking and clearly show disappointment when the gift wasn’t exactly what they wanted. It’s not good enough.
Now we jump to Japan, and the way they treat presents. For starters the way it’s packed is as important -if not more so- that what’s in it. The gesture of giving is all others will see for presents giving on a party stay packed untill everyone goes home. You might wonder why this is but it’s simple:
- If the present is a disappointment people won’t see it
- It’s impossible for the giver to boast about what he has given. The value stays unknown
- And so every present is equal
- (It’s also good form to give a present back, bot with a slightly lower value as to not let the whole thing get out of hand.)
Now back to our present day. As soon as you project expectations onto the gift you’re bound to end up disappointed every once in a while. The Western approach of “what’s in it” is more important than the gesture. Whereas the Japanese approach is to accept every present wholeheartedly and treat it exactly for what it is. A gesture of friendship, love or gratitude that should be treated with the utmost respect. The giver after all has no intention of disappointing you or giving you less than you deserve in their eyes.
And so, treat every day as a gift, don’t be disappointed and know that you get what’s yours to receive.
[...] that counts, yesterday is in the past and tomorrow is in the future (how obvious what that one). Today is the present, it’s a gift that you had better accept and be happy [...]