All I have is today.

A memorial. A celebration. A commemoration. 

Memorial Day is a time to remember those fallen in this life while serving in the military. 

It's generally a holiday when many of us gather together, but how often do we stop to think about why we are gathering? 

I will be the first to admit there have been years when I passed over the real reason for the Memorial Day gathering, despite coming from a strong military family. 

I've been thinking a lot about the concept of honoring TODAY... this moment that's right in front of us. This moment that you're spending reading this post.

So to honor today, I'd like to share with you a little excerpt from this week's "Musings of a Bakehouse Mind" by yours truly, Celeste. 

I had a moment this week. One of those moments of pondering "the meaning of life.”

It was ironically in the middle of the morning hustle to get myself and my two girls out of the house and onto our morning drop off circuit before arriving at the Bakehouse.

A baby in one arm, grabbing socks, shoes, jacket and lunch boxes in the other. Trying to remember before I dash out of the house, "Did I eat anything? Did I put on deodorant?"

It got me thinking... "Why am I rushing? Why am I feeling stressed?" 

Then it went deeper. 

"What is waiting for me tomorrow that is making me want to rush through my today?" 

In the previous decade of my life, I was always looking to the future... 

Next month when I achieve this goal, I'm going to... 
Next year when I land this new client then I'll...
In two years when I get married then I'll... 
When I have kids then I'll... 

All of the sudden in the middle of the hustle, I stopped. It hit me unlike it has hit me before. 

All I have is today. 

Why am I constantly looking to the future, and rushing to get there faster?

Today is one more day I've lived, and thus, one day less I have left to live. 

Don't get me wrong. I love looking toward the future and dreaming of the goals I want to achieve. But that's not what I’m talking about here. 

It was a realization that shed light on the auto-pilot mode I was operating in… 

“Why do I feel the need to rush through my present moment, rather than simply taking it for what it is... being present with it? Either way the time passes at the same speed; it's my feelings in the moment that change.”

I know this all might seem obvious. 

For whatever reason this message came packaged differently on this particular morning than it had before. It hit me in a more profound way. 

Sometimes these profound messages come through extremely challenging circumstances, like losing a dear loved one. I've experienced messages coming this way too. 

But sometimes they come through the simple moments of daily life. Reminders like I had this week, that land a bit more gently.

So let me land this plane... Why exactly am I sharing all of this?

As we come up to a holiday that is all about commemorating fallen soldiers and service-people, it is yet another reminder that... 

All we have is today. 

TODAY to squeeze our loved ones; to hear their voices on the phone; to message them and receive a reply.

Hopefully we will have tomorrow and the next day too, but we simply can’t be sure.

So to honor Memorial Day this year, we want to take this moment to remember all those who have served our country “today,” and may or may not have lived to see their “tomorrow.” 

You have made an invaluable sacrifice, and we are grateful for you. Thank you.