It is December now.
Soon we will exchange greetings with the words, “Are you ready for Christmas?”
Of course, some people may not celebrate Christmas.
However, around this time every year, most people exchange Christmas cards or greeting cards or presents, I think.
It is like an exchange of love and gratitude with neighbors, friends, and family members who we have cared about for the past year.
This year, for whom, and what presents, are you preparing to give?
The word, “present,” reminds me of something, which I want to share with you today.
It is a book titled “The Present” written by Spencer Johnson, who is famous for his book, “Who Moved My Cheese?” Over a million copies of the Korean translated edition of this book have been sold in Korea. It is a bestseller.
The valuable messages from the book are:
When you want to be happier and more successful, focus on what is important, now.
When you want the present to be better than the past, learn something valuable from the past.
When you want the future to be better than the present, picture what a wonderful future would look like.
It is the present moment when we look back to the past and imagine the future.
Now is “jee-geum” in Korean.
“Geum” in Korean means gold. “Hyun-geum” in Korean means cash. In other words, “geum” represents wealth. And the best among the “geums” is “jee-geum,” “now or in the present.”
In other words, “the present” is the most precious.
Only one sheet is left in this year’s calendar. I wish that every single day and moment of “the present,” December, 2012, will be the best present for both you and me.
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