Today is a gift
A lesson in being mindful, taught by a wise old turtle
While on my usual bus commute home from classes in Copenhagen, I stumbled upon a LoFi song (arguably one of my favorite genres of music) that I wanted to share. The name of the song is “Today is a Gift” by Beowulf. Give it a listen.
This song samples dialogue from the first Kung Fu Panda movie. I saw the movie a long time ago but had never pondered the deeper meaning behind the plot until I heard this song. If you’ve never seen the movie, you should maybe stop whatever you’re doing and watch it. It’s worth it. However, I will still give you a brief summary.
(Caution! Spoilers ahead) Kung Fu Panda is the story of a clumsy, hilarious panda named Po (voiced by the great Jack Black), who loves his simple life as a noodle shop worker. He has another love besides noodles though, an even deeper love for the art of kung fu fighting. When his homeland is suddenly threatened by an evil kung fu villian, Po is chosen to be the one to protect it. He might be the last panda anyone imagined as a kung fu legend, but by the end of the movie, Po is the most badass, butt-kicking, noodle-loving panda to ever exist.
His path to reach legendary status was by no means an easy feat. Po’s journey was filled with endless amounts of self-doubt and uncertainty. Multiple times throughout the film, Po nearly gives up and returns to his old life; ready to leave his dream behind, all because of his deep fear of failure. While training, he studies under a wise old turtle, Master Oogway, who gives the most sage advice ever; I personally imagine him as being akin to Buddha. Po comes to him one day ready to throw in the towel and Master Oogway shares this important saying:
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift; that is why it is called the present.”
Who actually wrote this saying for the first time I have no idea, but I ponder this quote often. The first time I heard it, it gave me chills. It was something I really needed to hear at the time, and every time since, it is still something I need to hear. Especially in my world today, I find myself uncertain for my future; left to ponder my past, which often leads to nostalgia and remorse. Whenever I catch myself lost in worry or regret, I refer back to this song and its message. I remind myself that I cannot do anything to change my past, and I have little to no control over my future, no matter how hard I try. *My dad always reminds me: “woman/man plans, God laughs” whenever I’m trying too hard.
The only thing I have a real say in is my life today. Right now. The Here and now. The present. All I have is the gift of this breath, this moment. And it’s perfect. Our world today (COVID ’19) is giving us the opportunity (yes, I said opportunity) to learn how to make each moment a gift. It is giving us ample time and space to slow down and work on appreciating and accepting our lives exactly how they are right now. *Wow, that sounds nice! How exactly do I do that?!* Annoyingly, it is one of the hardest, yet most important lessons one can learn. It’s the lesson of learning how to love what is.
If we could just learn how to find a reason to smile in any moment, we would never again feel trapped by suffering. This happens when we accept we have no control over what happens tomorrow, or what happened yesterday. It’s accepting we have control only over making each precious moment count, for all they can be. It is also remembering that the decisions we make today can lead to a better tomorrow.
So, whenever you’re feeling like Po, trapped by ambivalence and rue, remember the teachings of the great turtle master, and take a deep breath. Thank you Master Oogway and Beowulf.
