“One of the best preparations for the future is to pay attention to the present moment. Not by being provident, cautious, and miserly with life’s experiential wealth, but by attending to the unfolding of today’s events and one’s part within them.
For those who have places to go and tasks to accomplish, the active use of the imagination to shape their destiny should never be despised. There is no such thing as a “destined future” – one that is fixed and immovable – since every step we take toward the future, every action and intention, changes the dance of our life to some degree. By imagining our future in an active way, we become more sensitive to the influences and interests around us. This active imagining also helps break down our romantic or false expectations and sets up pathways of practice toward our life’s purpose, as we grow ever more sensitive to the unfolding patterns. Furthermore, it helps sustain us when achievement seems far off or unendingly delayed.
The work of shaping the future consists not in the ruthless excision of everything and everyone standing in our way, but in the gentle retuning of ourselves and our abilities to the pitch of our innate life’s purpose. This is a daily, intentional shaping whereby we become attuned to the song that is always singing us.”
From The Celtic Spirit: Daily Meditations for the Turning Year by Caitlin Matthews
King Edward Street Chapel 