Subes for life!

In downtown Wallace, Idaho, there is a saloon with a big sign in the window: FREE BEER TOMORROW. And man, people get excited*. Free beer tomorrow! Let’s come back and be first in line!!

But those of you with your thinking caps on will realize there’s a trick to the promotion. I won’t spoiler it here for you, but just picture yourself tomorrow (yes, future you some time in the future) reading that sign again.

Doh!

[And if you’re a little slow, feel free to pause here and give it a good think before continuing.]

In Buddhism there is a saying, “There is only now,” which is a useful maxim to consider whilst wading your way through life. The cafeteria-spiritual beings we call New Agers changed it around to, “Be here now,” and the likes of Ram Dass and Eckhart Tolle made their fortunes off of it.

En español dicen: “La vida es corta, no corras”**.

Sometimes, you just gotta stop and smell the [poppies]!

This morning I took a walk through Natural Bridges before they were officially opened, and I caught myself spinning endless book scene variations, dialogue samples, and character traits. And then I stopped and realized I was missing the sound of the waves and the morning chorus of birds and the echoes of frogs in the pond below.

The book stuff could wait.

For now, I have to be here now.

There is no tomorrow.

* I have no idea if that statement is true or not, but it seems plausible.

** “Life is short; don’t run.”