Shuck: Living in the present helps keep life in perspective

Have you ever felt that all you do is to repair and replace things? Have you no sooner brought everything up-to- date when something else comes up on the horizon causing you to feel behind the times again? Your present furniture, your house, your clothes, your expertise in technology and numerous other things seem stuffy and old-fashioned. “What do I do now,” you ask yourself?

I would venture to say that those feelings, opinions and judgments visit everyone sometimes. Consequently, we then attempt to replace or get rid of what’s too vintage, as we continually try to keep up with the times

It isn’t always the next-door neighbor, the social network or other friends and relatives that we want to impress. It’s usually ourselves, but not always. Our tastes change, we want others to admire our expertise in decorating, and we look inside the windows of, and frequent stores, to see what’s new. There is little hope for those that feel they must continue to keep up with what’s trendy — that which is shining with the newness and the untouched perfection of what used to be.

However those that like what’s old appreciate the timeless treasures, and cherish them for the beauty, memories and architecture they bring. Those beautiful, shiny rounded curves exhibited by the vintage furniture, keep on standing up, daring outsiders to mar their surface. One wonders how long that, even they, can be preserved.

As I looked at my living room and dining room furniture, I remembered when it, too, was popular and fitting for the time period when my husband and I purchased it. Now, I feel that some of my furnishings need to be at the local flea market. As I went about scrutinizing the various trappings all around me, I realized that the scenario of what was happening — the movement of going from new to old — could be likened to the merry-go-round of life. I meditated on the forever- changing, home décor, cars and all other possessions — and people as well. Then I decided that it is all connected. God’s plan of the continuous revolving of the life span of people, the workings of the universe and other happenings are the same. The new, eventually becomes old, then as the world continues to exist, what’s old eventually moves on and makes way for the new to rise and fill the space. However, to understand life’s rhythms of creation, we must realize that everything perpetually revolves and unfolds, whether it be man, nature or objects. To understand the enigma of the never ending rotation of things, we have to learn, enjoy and recognize what’s going on in the now. To do this, we must live in the present, remembering that what’s new and current now will become old and outdated, eventually, then the cycle starts once more.

I again stood looking at a chair in my living room and at another chair in my family room. We had chosen to reupholster them after receiving them from my father-in-law. At that time, the material we picked, was beautiful and it fit the time-period perfectly. I admired the way it folded onto the vintage curved-back chairs, but how outdated the fabric looked now. I wanted to replace the cloth because, it had become unfashionable. Yet I questioned the changing of a chair from an earlier era into a more contemporary one. Suddenly I stopped in my tracks. “Why bother, because soon it will become antiquated, too,” I thought. I quickly recognized that since everything becomes old and out of date, it’s essential that we enjoy each moment because it won’t be long before the present moments change into past ones.

Psalm 118:24 tells us that “each day is a gift from God and that we should rejoice and be glad in it.” Don’t bemoan the past or worry about the future, but rejoice in the present while those days are present to us. We are further encouraged by the Scripture, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).

Ellen Shuck holds degrees in psychology, religious education and spiritual direction. She is the author of the book, “Wisdom for the Journey.”